The Diamond Compass
by FlyingMidgetProductions
Summary: In a decaying world where disaster is imminent, a new user by the name of Sabre Mace must assist a pack of wandering archaeologists on a quest to retrieve a treasure that could help them save the world - The Diamond Compass. The journey will be winding as their pasts come back to haunt them and remind them that no matter who they are or what they've been through - no one is safe.
1. 1 0 The New User

**After taking a longer than expected break from my Ed Edd n Eddy stories, I began to get drawn into the world of Minecraft once again via friends and Yogscast. So I decided I wanted to write a story involving the sandbox gaming phenomenon, but I had no idea what to write about. I typed the outline of the story and major characters and began to think to myself what would occur in this story. I plan to add a lot of content to it and it may take over my EEnE stories as my primary objective to complete. First, I must see how well this story actually turns out to be to the audience.**

**You're the audience, so please leave feedback and don't forget to check out my Ed Edd n Eddy stories if you like this and EEnE!**

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><p>The sprawling Sand Sea Desert was practically the front yard to the Redstone Rebellion. At least, that's what most people refer to it as. A few others actually use it as an important trade route from the Imperial City to the few mining villages that lay in the east. Those few are known as the Pack of Wanderers.<p>

In the land of Anascentia, mining is everything. Mining is essential to a strong economy, relationship, and overall living. The Imperial Empire, the dominating royal family of Anascentia, hire many young or out of work residents to mine for the city so that women and children don't have to do it themselves. Of course, if they're lucky, they'll get a job as an architect or shop keeper. The Pack of Wanderers, however, travel the land freely, mining their hearts out and studying the mysterious past of the server called Anascentia. Led by Garfunkel, an aging archaeologist with an appetite for hieroglyphics, and his two pupils, the group travels by foot and sometimes mine cart or boat if necessary. However, travelling off of the continent is usually unnecessary.

The server of Anascentia had just recently been updated and thus the Pack of Wanderers decided to leave the Imperial City and travel to the Northern Sands to explore a supposed collection of hieroglyphics. With nothing but leather, pork, and a small assortment of items to keep them company on their travels, the group set off from the main gate.

"Mr. Garfunkel, how far away from the tombs are we?" Garfunkel's female pupil asked as they passed by the front guards of the cobblestone castle town. The entire place took hard work to put together by the citizens, having to continuously mine holes into nearby mountains and hills to retrieve the necessary stone for the job.

The old man looked at a map of Anascentia on the outside wall as the gate closed behind the trio, "The Northern Sands are a fare distance away, so we should shuffle off as soon as we can!" He said in a British accent.

"Are you absolutely sure about going after these tombs?" The male pupil asked, taking the lead of the group as they walked across the stone path leading away from the castle and into the forest which guarded the kingdom.

"What is there to be sure of, Octagon? Rumor has it of the Ancient Tombs, so we should delve deeper into this confounding mystery," Garfunkel shouted enthusiastically, "SunRose, how much time do we have until nightfall?"

The female pupil looked at the sun through the sea of trees and could just barely make out the square source of light directly overhead, "It's just about noon. Will there be any stops along the way?"

"It's the Sand Sea, for crying out loud. What civilization wants to settle down in the midst of an empty wasteland?" Octagon replied, "We'll just have to fend for ourselves in the darkness of the night."

Garfunkel chuckled, "My word, you should be a poet, Octagon!"

"No thanks, I enjoy doing work." Octagon sighed and ran ahead of the group as the expanding desert came into view. The sun began to go down in the horizon, indicating that sunset was upon them.

The trio stepped onto the sand, no set path before them to lead them to the Ancient Tombs they sought so much. Tall mountains and pyramids of sand surrounded them, giving them the sense that they were already lost.

"The sunset is so pretty in Anascentia," SunRose said as they walked toward the sun as it took it's rest behind the massive mountains just ahead of them, "so which way are we going, Mr. Garfunkel?"

"Let me see..." Garfunkel trailed off, looking around the desert with no indication of where they just were or where they had been, "We came from where the moon rose, so we just have to keep an eye on that exquisite square in the sky."

"Way ahead of you two," Octagon said, digging out sand from behind them, "I'll just make a path for all of us. Shouldn't be too big a deal."

"Brilliant, Master Octagon! Now, where were we?" Garfunkel murmured as he began looking at the multitude of paths to take.

SunRose stepped to the front of the group and looked to a cave in one of the mountains in the north, "We just need to head there, right? We're heading to the Northern Sands, right?"

"Yeah, but we don't wanna get involved in what those critters in the cave want," Octagon said and looked to the east, "east is the way to go. We can just go around it."

"But that'll require mining through the mountains and pyramids, which is frowned upon by the Imperials!" SunRose retorted.

Garfunkel cleared his throat, "Excuse me, fine ladies and gentlemen, but doing anything to these marvelous landmasses is frowned upon by the Imperials. We'll either need to wait until dawn or try to fare with the monsters in the cave. What do you suggest?"

SunRose sped off towards the cave in a heartbeat, leaving the other two behind.

"I can see she really wants to be in that cave." Octagon said.

"It's the best path to take at the moment, Master Octagon."

"Whatever." Octagon sighed and walked after SunRose as she disappeared into the darkness of the cave. Garfunkel followed closely as to not stray away from the other two and to keep an eye on SunRose, who was the youngest of the three.

Garfunkel jumped onto the stone entrance of the cave, darkness consuming the entire path, "SunRose? Are you in there?"

No response.

"This isn't good. Why can't she be patient like me?" Octagon said and walked further into the cave made of stone. Garfunkel followed suit as the duo traveled aimlessly into the depths of the mountain to see where SunRose had disappeared off to.

"Oh, bloody... The path is unseeable!" Garfunkel shouted, the echo carrying out to the entrance of the cave.

"I don't even think that's a word," Octagon said, "wait, I think I found something! It looks like-"

BOOM! The floor below the two suddenly exploded. Garfunkel and Octagon began screaming as their bodies plummeted to the ground below, their HP draining away quickly. As the two began to look around, they saw a waterfall coming from the ceiling, falling into a hole in the ground.

"Do I see?... Is that SunRose?" Octagon said, drowsy and hurt as a figure appeared from behind the waterfall, holding a wooden stick.

"I was trying to run away from that creeper, but I guess he got sidetracked!" She laughed, throwing the sticks and a crafting table to Garfunkel, "Use the stone from the creeper attack to make a stone pick axe and let's get out of here!"

Garfunkel nodded and immediately began crafting out multiple pick axes with the sticks and stones, giving both Octagon and SunRose two. Quickly, they ran behind the waterfall and began digging upwards, making a sort of staircase to the outside world.

"Wait a minute," Octagon said and ran back into the cave. Returning a few moments later while SunRose continued, Octagon planted a couple torches on the walls of the staircase, "we can't continue without coal."

"Bravo, Master Octagon, bravo!" Garfunkel applauded.

"If you could cut this little bromance short, I could really use the assistance in this mining operation, alright?" Sunrose said, grabbing the attention of the other two as they began assisting in digging their way out of the mine.

After a few more blocks disappeared, the starry night sky appeared overhead as only a block of sand kept the trio away from getting outside again.

"Whew, fresh air!" Octagon shouted, jumping around.

"No time for playing around. We need to hurry to the tombs. Quickly, now!" Garfunkel said and began running off through the desert, SunRose and Octagon barely getting enough time to catch up. The moon was directly overhead, signalling that there was still plenty of nighttime to go until dawn broke over the server.

As the middle of the desert was successfully reached, a light from the bottom of a hill caught the attention of the three. Smoke billowed up from the light source and into the dark, night sky. Chests and crafting tables surrounded the fire as mobs hopped around, sometimes straying away from the camp and into the wild, only to be later burns out by the sun.

Octagon took the lead, "Mob pack. This won't be fun."

"Well, hop to it!" Garfunkel said, pointing downwards.

"What, you expect us to do all of this?" Sunrose wined.

"An old man like me will only get in the way." Garfunkel said and pushed Octagon forward, falling down several blocks and letting out a brief grunt. The mobs quickly diverted their attention from the fire to the shadows where Octagon had just slipped to. No one moved, not even Garfunkel or SunRose, as Octagon began sweating heavily. Taking a small step forward and towards the light, the mobs began shooting arrows rapidly, Octagon's sneak turning into a fast paced sprint to the other side of the camp. Looking back to the hill top where Garfunkel and SunRose watched in horror in his evasion, he shook his head and continued running.

SunRose turned to Garfunkel as the mobs began giving chase to Octagon, "Why did he just shake his head to us? What did we do?"

"You have a spare bow on you?"

"I think so." SunRose replied, reaching into her inventory and throwing a bow and set of 64 arrows to Garfunkel, the items accidentally falling down the hill.

Garfunkel sighed and looked at SunRose, "Go help Octagon. I'll back you two up."

The pupil nodded and ran down the hill, quickly drawing her stone sword and hacking away at skeletal archers, the group quickly going down.

Arrows shot straight at an incoming mass of creepers, SunRose looking back through the dim dark to barely make out the figure of Garfunkel, "I don't see Octagon!"

"Bloody, Master Octagon had best not move on without us. Who knows what lies beyond this mob camp? Perhaps a dungeon of sorts. We don't want to relive that Gravel Dungeon incident again." Garfunkel said, shooting down the last of the mobs. The two began walking again before hearing faint shouts from somewhere below, underneath the sand that they had been traveling on all day.

Garfunkel began walking around, trying to see if the voice got stronger with where he stood, "Miss SunRose, where could that noise be coming from?"

"Underground, obviously. Is there some sort of cave echoing it?"

"Perhaps. Let's have us a look around, shall we?"

"Look no further," Octagon shouted from behind. Garfunkel and SunRose quickly turned to see Octagon standing before them, a small pit directly behind him, "there's something interesting at the bottom. Follow me."

As SunRose was about to follow Octagon into the pit, Garfunkel stepped in her path and looked at Octagon sternly, "What's down there, friend? A dungeon? Treasure?"

"A new user. He's unconscious."

Garfunkel gasped and sprinted into the hole, plummeting several blocks below and losing quite a lot of HP before finding himself in the bottom of the pit, lit by torches on all four sides. In the middle of the room was another user, dressed in a black torso and white pants. His face looked like a normal person's, semi-thick eyebrows and a frown on his face. His large red eyes were quick to draw everyone's attention as he rolled onto his back, finally waking up.

Looking around at his surroundings, the new user slowly sat up as the sun rose on the above ground, "Where am I?"

"You're in a hole. A rather big one, too." Garfunkel joked.

"You're in Anascentia, a massive world. You a new user, eh?" Octagon said as SunRose began building a sand staircase to the desert above.

The new user nodded and got to his feet with the help of Octagon and Garfunkel, "I'm pretty sure. What are you and old man here doing in this hole?"

"I have a name." Garfunkel shouted angrily.

"We were running from a camp of mobs until I fell into this hole and found you. It's quite unusual for new users to be unconscious upon arriving in the server. What's your name?" Octagon asked.

The user looked up and noticed that SunRose was just finishing building the sand staircase, "I... can't remember. I think it might've been... I can't remember, I'm terribly sorry, I can't."

"No worries, no worries. Now, Master Octagon, shall we shuffle off and continue to these tombs? I've got an inkling for some hieroglyphics." Garfunkel said and began jumping to each sand block.

Octagon looked at the new user and then at Garfunkel, "What? We can't just leave him here."

"What do you expect us to do for him, Master Octagon? This is Minecraft, he has to survive on his own in Anascentia. That's why he devoted himself to this when the Tech Apocalypse began." Garfunkel retorted and continued jumping up.

Octagon began cursing to himself before grabbing onto the user and dragging him to the surface, "Come on, you're coming with us but you'll need a username. What would you like to be called?"

"I'm not sure. I'm terrible with names."

"How about Pit?"

"Are you trying to name me after a freaking angel? Please, I'd rather go with something more absurd, like... Like Sabre_Mace."

"Very well then." Octagon said and hopped onto the even sand of the desert, following SunRose and Garfunkel as they continued across the vast canvas of desert that expanded into the seemingly endless horizon.

The user ran after him quickly, "Wait, what? You're actually willing to call me Sabre_Mace?"

"It's all up to you."

Sabre_Mace stopped in his tracks as his watched the other three walk in between two massive mountain, placed significantly close to each other.

"I am so lost." He murmured to himself.

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><p><p>

"These must be them!" Garfunkel exclaimed with much eagerness shaking his voice.

Standing before the quartet was a massive pyramid made of sandstone, going about thirty blocks high. Nothing was placed on the naked walls, only a stone door and a button acting as an entrance to the tombs.

"Um, where are we and why are we here?" Sabre_Mace asked as the group piled into the main room of the tower and following a set of moss stone steps to a long hallway underground.

"Quite simple, young chap. We are the Pack of Wanderers, the greatest archaeologists in the land of Anascentia! A series of hieroglyphics are said to be somewhere in the depths of these catacombs entitled properly the Ancient Tombs. No one knows how long this tower has been here, which is to be said for all the bloody things in Anascentia." Garfunkel declared, following the hallway of lit torches that seemed to go on for miles.

Sabre_Mace nodded understandingly, "I see, so I'm in Anascentia. I don't recall ever choosing to come here, but oh well. Who are you two, then? I know Octagon guy here, but I don't know frilly chick and old man."

SunRose turned around, her face red, "My name is SunRose, for your information! Me and Octagon are Garfunkel's students and we're following him to study the-"

"Calm down, I know what a student does. How far away are these hieroglyphics then?" Sabre_Mace impatiently asked, the group mostly ignoring him.

"Rumor has it that they're somewhere here. We could be running straight into a dead end for all we know. Blimey, we might run into a dungeon for all we know. You know how to craft and mine, correct?" Garfunkel asked, taking a right turn down the sandstone hallway.

Sabre_Mace nodded slowly.

"Good. You'll need them to survive in this world."


	2. 1 1 The Dragon Prophecy

The sound of constant heartbeats trailed behind the quartet, giving Sabre_Mace goosebumps and making him shudder. The dark hallways of the Ancient Tomb had not ended yet. Instead, it seemed to go on further, endlessly torturing the archaeologists to wondering what comes next. The sandstone around them had engravings of such terrifying things as the despised Creeper tribe and, of course, the much loathed Enderman tribe.

SunRose huddled close to Octagon, who was on the right of the hallway with Garfunkel taking the lead and Sabre_Mace following close behind, "How long does this go on for? I felt we've been in here for ages."

"Not too longer, young lass. Master Octagon, do you have any idea as to the meanings of these hieroglyphics? My sight can't assist me for the life of me." Garfunkel asked, his voice echoing forward and behind the group.

Octagon pushed SunRose away and stopped in his tracks, brushing his hands over the etchings on the wall, "They feel just like scribbles on a kindergartner's paper. I can't see without any light."

"Did you guys not bother to craft any torches?" Sabre_Mace asked as Octagon joined the group further down the dark hallway.

"Mining on such an important expedition as this wasn't on our minds at the moment. However, I suppose we could have spared a moment or two to that mine that SunRose fell into... Or the pit you were in." Garfunkel admitted.

Finally, a small ember appeared down a few sandstone steps. A torch, lighting up the first big room in the underground catacombs of the tower, gave the archaeologists hope as they urgently ran down the steps and into a large room with around five torches planted on the walls of the 10x10 block room. Drawings and cave paintings covered the sandstone and were nearly covered up by just how old they all were.

"Whoa. Looks like you guys are in heaven." Sabre_Mace joked.

"This is fantastic! Come, everyone, let's explore the wonders of these hieroglyphics immediately! I'm just filled with utter joy that those rumors proved to be true for once." Garfunkel shouted and immediately ran to the far end of the room. Octagon and SunRose nodded, running to the left and right walls respectively.

Sabre_Mace looked around, not sure of what his purpose in this trip was. He walked over to Garfunkel, who was sternly staring into the walls of what looked to be a long line of Endermen holding hands, all in the same posture, "What should I do, old man?"

"Good heavens, show some respect to your elders! My name is Garfunkel, young sir!" Garfunkel raged.

"Alright, got it. Old Man Garfunkel, what do you want me to do?"

"Call me old man one more time-"

Octagon rushed over to the pair and pushed Sabre_Mace away, "You investigate this corner and stay away from Garfunkel for now, got it? He's not too thrilled to have you here."

"Pfft, I doubt any of you are." Sabre_Mace said and turned to the corner as Octagon returned to his area.

The torches never died the entire five hours that they were there nor did the quartet's determination in finding some truth to Anascentia's history. Trouble was that the majority of the hieroglyphics were nearly identical to each other.

SunRose turned to Octagon, who was taking a rest on the ground, "I can't decipher any of this. What about you, Octagon? Find anything interesting?"

"You should be asking chief over there. I can't decipher squat here. Nothing makes sense." Octagon sighed as Sabre_Mace walked over and took a seat by him.

Garfunkel sighed heavily and turned to the rest of the group, "I'm afraid that these etchings are nothing new, just more speculation to fuel that the Endermen started this server. We should take these torches with us just in case we leave in the midst of night."

The other three nodded in agreement and began taking the lights off the walls, letting the darkness of the rest of the tombs engulf them completely. Garfunkel took the lead once again, hopping up the sandstone staircase and leading the quartet down the hallway once again.

"This doesn't make any sense," SunRose began, "I thought catacombs or tombs were supposed to hold the bodies of the dead. Did grave robbers hit this place or something?"

"You raise a point, my dear, but the possibility of that is particularly low." Garfunkel noted.

Sabre_Mace rolled his eyes at how classy the group acted, feeling like an outcast to them completely. _I'm not even supposed to be here!_, he thought before stopping in his tracks to catch his breath while the rest of the group carried on.

Looking around at the walls as he could only see a little of the etchings on the walls, he followed them as he began walking once again, the hieroglyphics resembling the ones in the previous room perfectly. However, they suddenly stopped as a small, black space separated them on the wall. The space looked to be a doorway, going downwards, but further than the stairs that led to the other room.

"Interesting. Maybe if I..." Sabre_Mace thought to himself, planting a torch on both sides of the space. The portion of the hallway lit up quickly as he noticed that the space truly was a door, going down with dim redstone torches at the very bottom. Sabre_Mace's eyes widened with excitement as he turned back the way the others had gone, "Guys! I found another passage! Guys!"

He could only hear his own echo through the empty tunnel.

"Hello?"

A small, faint voice replied.

Sprinting down the hallway as fast as he could, he began to see two figures further down- Octagon and SunRose. But where was Garfunkel?

"Sabre_Mace, there you are!" SunRose said, pointing to a hole in the path with Garfunkel at the bottom and obsidian surrounding the pitfall, "Someone set up a booby trap and Garfunkel fell into it!"

"Just dig around it and get him out, I found another-"

Octagon shook his head and pointed to the black obsidian, "It's not that simple. Are you familiar with obsidian? It's unbreakable. Digging into it wouldn't be possible without diamond, and we would need a lot of patience to mine that."

"It's not that hard!" Sabre_Mace shouted and walked back further behind in the hallway. He began digging vigorously in the sandstone underneath his feet, going far below enough to be deeper than the pitfall. Octagon and SunRose merely listened to his constant digging until a random hole popping up in the corner of the pitfall. Sabre_Mace jumped out of it and looked at the two above ground, "If you can't dig through obsidian, dig under it. Come on, old man, let's go."

Garfunkel didn't even bother with raging at the youth. Instead, he followed him back through the tunnel he had made and back to the main passage. Octagon, surprised by Sabre_Mace's instant knowledge of how to evade the situation, ran after the two with SunRose following behind as Garfunkel began thanking him for his bravery.

"I could have died if it weren't for you!" Garfunkel praised.

"If your colleagues here had thought a little more clearly, then maybe-"

"Okay, that's enough. What were you jabbering about earlier, Sabre_Mace? Another what?" Octagon interrupted, jumping to the other side of the escape tunnel Sabre_Mace had dug.

Sabre_Mace nodded and led the group back through the tunnel to the two lit torches, where the doorway was still present, "I found another passage. Maybe if we follow it-"

"Out of my way, young lad!" Garfunkel shouted, pushing Sabre_Mace aside and sprinting down the block steps to the redstone lit passage below. SunRose followed quickly, the two disappearing down the dimly lit passage within a few seconds.

Octagon looked at Sabre_Mace with intrigue, "Interesting. For a brand new user to Anascentia, you sure do know what you're doing. However, I am wondering where the obsidian came from."

"It was there all along, wasn't it?"

"Not quite," Octagon said as the two began down the steps, "why didn't we fall into the trap the first time around traveling down the hall?"

Sabre_Mace remained quiet.

"To make things even more suspicious, the only people who ever use obsidian are the Redstone Rebellion. Either this place was made by them or they've been here recently, and I wouldn't appreciate either. Come on, we're falling behind." Octagon said and ran ahead.

Sabre_Mace caught up quickly just as the group entered into a massive room, 25x15 sandstone and clay blocks, and a big platform in the middle, the sunlight from far above shining down on a tall smooth stone pillar with some sort of engraving on it.

The group immediately marveled at the find and sprinted up to the pillar, looking at the strange and different hieroglyphic it offered to the hardcore archaeologists that they were.

"Looks like I am the hero today." Sabre_Mace joked.

"Young lad, hurry up here!" Garfunkel ordered with a military sergeant-like tone.

Sabre_Mace jumped at his sudden booming voice and ran up the steps to the stone pillar. The engraving on it looked to be that of a 4x5 portal with a flying beast above it and multiple Endermen surrounding it, holding hands again.

"There isn't enough information here to determine the significance of this hieroglyphic. A secret must be hidden somewhere in this room!" Garfunkel theorized.

"There's no secret. Just me." A female voice said.

The group turned back to the doorway to see a tall female user with long, black hair and a tight, green outfit that covered her entire body. She held a book in her hand and laughed as they all stared at her with blank expressions of confusion.

"Who the devil are you? A fellow archaeologist?" Garfunkel asked, stepping down the steps from the pillar. The four clay columns surrounding the pillar had one torch on top and four torches on each side, but they began to suddenly disappear at that moment.

The female chuckled, "Sure, sure, I'm an archaeologist. Female archaeologists are common, right?" She asked, eyeing SunRose, who backed away behind Octagon.

"I don't exactly trust you, ma'am." Octagon said.

"You shouldn't. However, trust is something that can change overtime. You see this book I hold in my hands? This ancient collection of pages is what you wanderers are looking for in this room. The key to the past, present, and future of Anascentia rests in this binding of the basis of this mysterious server. And yet, I am the owner of it since I found it first." She chuckled.

Sabre_Mace stepped to the front of the room, "Excuse me? I found this room when these guys passed by it! I found it first so the book belongs to me!"

"Don't raise your voice to me, adolescent scum. Those redstone torches you saw were set by me as was the pitfall that nearly claimed that old man's life." She laughed, reminiscing about setting the trap herself.

While Garfunkel grumbled over no one calling him by his name, Octagon stepped to the front of the group, "So you set up that obsidian trap and those redstone torches, eh? I knew there was a Redstone rebel lurking around here with us. The pitfall gave it all away, miss."

"A wise one. However, knowing who I work for is not going to assist you in retrieving this book." The rebel said, stepping back slowly while Octagon approached her with caution.

"You want us to kill you, huh?" Octagon asked.

"You can try, filthy wanderer."

Like an angry tiger, Octagon leaped at the rebel and began attacking her, causing the book to fly through the air and land on top of the stone pillar. The rebel seemed to not put up much of a fight as she began running away as soon as she lost possession of the ancient book. However, Octagon didn't give up and gave chase to the rebel. Soon, the two were gone as Sabre_Mace, Garfunkel, and SunRose only watched.

"Well, let's have us a look at this book, shall we?" Garfunkel said, turning to the stone pillar and making a staircase out of sand to the top to pick up the book.

Sabre_Mace stood, confused by how the aging man was reacting, "Old man, your student just ran after a rebel and you aren't going to do anything about it?"

"I've known Master Octagon longer than you and SunRose combined. I know, without a doubt, that he'll find his way back to us. He's doing the right thing, you know. Those Redstone rebels always did remind us what it was like to live back in the real world." Garfunkel exclaimed, jumping back down to the ground with the book.

"Not to linger on in the moment, but who exactly are the Redstone Rebellion?" Sabre_Mace asked.

Garfunkel sighed, "I wanted to read through this book, but I guess filling your noggin with the proper information is necessary. Anyway, the Redstone Rebellion are a group of outlaws, assassins, and overall criminals that live in the east of the continent. They get their name from their near-endless supply of redstone, which they mine out of the side of Scuro Mountain as well as such materials as obsidian and, dare I say it, bedrock."

"Bedrock? But I thought that stuff was impossible to mine!" Sabre_Mace shouted with fear that these rebels may be more talented in mining than he originally thought.

Garfunkel nodded, "I'm afraid so, lad. Their leader, Obsidian666, seems to have some sort of technological powers that may have been given to him during the Tech Apocalypse. The Imperials have tried desperately to shut down whatever they have planned for the rest of Anascentia, but sadly... Nothing is exactly going well for us."

"I figured," Sabre_Mace said, "but with that out of the way, why don't you read the book now? After all, we did come all this way looking for something to look at."

"I don't quite get your logic, boy, but I do agree that this book won't read itself! Let's see..." Garfunkel began as SunRose and Sabre_Mace crowded around, looking at the pages over the elder's shoulders, "Wait a minute, what's this? This page has the same hieroglyphic as the pillar behind us. It says 'Thou who seeks the ancient treasure diamond, thou who wishes to die along with his brethren shall no longer bleed the blood of the dragon! Nigh in another world, nigh in another dimension, thou shall bow to the prophecy of the winged beast and witness the desecration of thy server from the glass tower in the sun.'"

Sabre_Mace and SunRose stood in awe at the words spoken, "So that's what we came all the way for? Another apocalypse being foreshadowed?" SunRose asked.

"Let me see, there seems to be more on this page. Ahem, 'Thy light years away to return to thou stable and wash thy nightmare into the blood of the river, only will the skill of thee be enough to recover thy diamond direction and reach perfection and destroy thy hellgate to another world,'" Garfunkel finished, "the passage was titled 'The Dragon Prophecy', and I can see why."

SunRose grabbed the book and began looking at the ancient text, "This is remarkable! Mr. Garfunkel, we need to return to Imperial City as once! This is groundbreaking!"

"I can see that, Miss Sunrose, but we must be patient and take our time. Come, let's go find Master Octagon first. We don't want to leave him behind, now do we?" Garfunkel noted and left the room. Sabre_Mace and SunRose looked at each other briefly before running after him.

* * *

><p><p>

Several minutes later, the stairs leading up and out of the tower seemed to arrive much earlier than expected. Disappointment, however, wasn't expected at all. As the trio left the tower and entered back into the massive desert, no sign of Octagon seemed to show up.

"Do you think Octagon was beat?" Sabre_Mace asked as they began trekking across the sand sea, the sun high in the sky and giving plenty of time to return back to their home.

"The possibility exists, but it's best not to think such things. Stay on the positive side, lad, and you'll be golden for years to come." Garfunkel said.

Sabre_Mace was confused as to whether Garfunkel was still on the same topic as him, "Thanks... I guess."

As the trio continued across the sand, a voice boomed out from the tower. The archaeologists turned to see two Imperial soldiers, both clad in metal chain mail and iron swords, rushing towards them. With one swift blow, the swords of the soldiers hit the trio and knocked them to the ground. Garfunkel was already out cold while SunRose and Sabre_Mace watched the soldiers load them onto mine carts.

"What's wrong with you guys? What did we do?" Sabre_Mace asked through a mouth full of spit and blood.

"These ruins are forbidden areas of crafting! We saw that pitfall you three made in there and the Imperial Moderator will not be happy with you when we arrive back in the city!" One of the knights said before pushing Sabre_Mace away, the powered mine cart taking him back towards the city faster than the other two.

The desert around him flew by quickly and the entire time Sabre_Mace wondered to himself, _"What is going on? I wake up in the middle of a hole in the desert and go into some random mines with three archaeologists only to find out about a bad omen and that I'm being arrested for something I didn't do! Even with that all out of the way, I don't even know my name, how I got here, or where I came from. Hopefully, this moderator won't be too pissed off at us for doing this. Maybe if I just explain some things to him..."_

Before he could think any further, the ground beneath the cart completely disappeared as Sabre_Mace went airborne, the Imperial City visible in the distance.

"Wow, it looks so-"

As he was about to finish the thought, he felt the cart completely shatter and his health deteriorate to only one heart. The other two archaeologists seemed to meet the same fate as him as they collided with the ground and fell to their backs, their bodies in too much pain to handle. Shortly after their collision, the knights appeared from around the hill and grabbed all three of them, dragging them off to the front gates of the city.

"Mister Garfunkel, I don't remember that big hill being there." SunRose stated, remarking the massive mountain that their mine carts had flown off of.

"Me neither. These Imperials will do whatever they can to arrest wanderers like us." Garfunkel said before passing out again as their bodies met the cold stone of the Imperial City gate.


	3. 1 2 Watership Underground

**Biggest chapter yet? I think yes. By spending nearly all day on this oh-so important part of the story, I was able to add a lot that I never actually intended to add. Just as a little hint, this chapter contains death, two fights, serious character development, and a villain is introduced. **

**Without further ado, I present ****W****ATERSHIP UNDERGROUND****.**

* * *

><p>Moderator Bastil sat upon his throne in the higher floors of the Imperial Castle at the far end of the city, admiring his massive throne room that was filled with bookshelves and all the trap doors he could hope for. The 20x60 cobblestone area had been built, along with the rest of the Imperial Castle, before the rest of the entire city was founded. Using the massive building as a place of government for the majority of Anascentia, the dawn of the brand new server supposedly began there. However, life beforehand had always been discussed heavily between scientists, archaeologists, and Moderator Bastil himself.<p>

"Lady Serenade, what happened to my guards Roth and Wheat? I don't recall sending them beyond the castle gates, or the Imperial City gates for that matter." Bastil asked, donned in his red velvet clothing with a black beard and long, stringy hair.

A young woman, wearing a pink dress with red hair, walked out from one of the corners of the room, "As I recall, your honor, it was not you but your loyal subjects who sent them out."

"Burnley? Blimey, screw that fellow."

"Your honor, that's no way to treat those who help lead your empire! Try to be a bit more respectful. After all, you never know when they could become another Redstone Rebellion."

Moderator Bastil jumped from his throne and hit Lady Serenade, sending her into the bookshelves on the wall of the room, "Never compare my regime to that of that scoundrel Obsidian666! My word, the fact that someone as close to me as you, thinking that my very own commonwealth could deteriorate to the point where we become our own rebellion. At that point, might as well join with those Redstone rebels and make a new empire. Oh, but wait, who would rule? That's right, another war right there. Brilliant!"

"You think too much, your honor." Lady Serenade stated.

Just as the pair's argument came to a close, the front wooden doors burst open, the two guards Wheat and Roth walking in through with Sabre_Mace, SunRose, and Garfunkel behind them, beaten and without any of their items.

The Moderator simply laughed and sat back in his throne, "My word, what have my loyal subjects brought me today? More rats from the sewer?"

"Professor Burnley sent us to investigate reports of grieving in the Northern Sands. Upon inspection, your honor, we found these scum lurking around and dealt with them properly." Roth reported, the two guards giving a salute.

Sabre_Mace spat at the guards, "We didn't grief the catacombs, we swear!"

"Shut your mouth, scum." Roth demanded and kicked Sabre_Mace, sending him to the ground. Garfunkel and SunRose looked at Bastil with terror filling their veins as they had never before had to face the moderator of the Imperials.

Bastil chuckled, "Interesting. What business did you scum have in the Northern Sands? Perhaps assisting in setting up a spy outpost for the rebels, eh? Or maybe you just wanted to feel the pleasure of destroying a masterpiece the precursors of this wonderful land built for us."

"I tell you, your honor, it's nothing like that! SunRose and I are archaeologists and we merely went to the Northern Sands to investigate reports of ancient hieroglyphics. It was the bloody rebels who grieved the place, not us!" Garfunkel argued, dropping to his knees.

"I see. Then who's the young man with you?" Bastil asked, pointing to Sabre_Mace, who was beginning to fall unconscious on the floor.

Garfunkel looked over and jumped at how much blood Sabre_Mace was losing, "We found him in a pit in the midst of the desert. He was brand new to the server, so we decided to be nice gentlemen and bring him along with us!"

"Is that so? Well, looks like your case checks out." Bastil said.

"...Really? That's it? You believe us?" Garfunkel asked in shock. Sabre_Mace instantly sat up in surprise.

Bastil nodded and stood up, "It wasn't Burnley's authority to send my men out to the Northern Sands in the first place. Besides, I doubt an old wise-crack like you, old man, could ever get away with grieving." He laughed.

Garfunkel smirked and nodded, not wanting to get on the moderator's nerves, "Well, yes. Are we excused then, your honor?"

"Well, you say your archaeologists, eh? Maybe we can put you to some sort of use now that you are in the presence of Bastil the Great." Bastil said, pacing along the bookshelves on the side of the room.

Garfunkel stood up, helping Sabre_Mace to his feet, "What do have in mind, sir?"

"An underground watership in the sewers of the Imperial City has suddenly stopped working and I need someone like yourselves to investigate. Are you up for the job?" Bastil asked, taking out a book and flipping through the pages randomly before placing it back on the shelf.

"You want us to be plumbers for the day? I thought we were archaeologists, Mr. Garfunkel!" SunRose asked.

The elderly archaeologist cleared his throat, "Yes, well, it seems that it was an order by the moderator himself to inspect this predicament. What's the worst that could happen, Miss SunRose? It's only inspecting a watership, nothing more."

"Not to be an idiot here, but what is a watership?" Sabre_Mace asked, obviously better than he was before.

Lady Serenade stepped into the conversation, "A watership is a dam-like machine that continues the flow of the sewer water in any direction you direct it to."

"So, it's a dam?"

"That's why I said dam-like! The machine's been there since before we even began the Imperial Empire, so it was laid down by the ancestors of Anascentia. Why they chose the name watership, I have no idea, but it's the way they made it so we just have to go with the flow." Lady Serenade finished.

Sabre_Mace nodded in understanding, "Alright, doesn't sound too bad. How do we enter into these sewers then?"

"There is a college southwest of the castle, towards the city walls. Go inside and meet with Professor Burnley and he should be able to direct you to the sewers entrance. If you can do this for me, then I may have some respect for you after this supposed misunderstanding. Screw up, and your head will be my dinner for tonight and leftovers for tomorrow!" Bastil said, ordering everyone, even Serenade, out of the room before shutting the doors and replacing them with stone.

Serenade stared at the blocked off door as everyone began leaving, "How peculiar. He usually always wants me by his side."

"Oh well. We've got other things to worry about." Sabre_Mace said as the group of archaeologists and guards descended the steps of the castle to the cobblestone foyer below. Paintings and small trees decorated the otherwise bland room that should have shown off what the Imperials were made of. The vacant room, however, only gave those who entered the impression that they were all business. Stepping through the double wooden doors, the view of the rest of the expansive Imperial City shocked Sabre_Mace as he had never gotten a good view of the capital city before. The many buildings that served as house and shop were made of all sorts of materials that usually explained what they were about: clay buildings usually meant that it was low income, wooden planks meant medium, and brick was meant for the upper class of the city. The streets were jam packed with citizens and even some friendly mobs such as zombie pigmen and skeletons, which was highly unusual for Sabre_Mace.

As the group stepped down to ground level from the massive porch of the cobblestone castle, Sabre_Mace leaned towards Garfunkel, "What is up with the mobs? What are they doing in here?"

"Simple, my dear associate. Several years ago, during the uprising of the Redstone Rebellion, the moderators throughout the land learned of the fear that the natural mobs began to develop towards the newly formed rebellion. After much discussion and debate, a proclamation was crafted by the users and we decided to accept the tamed mobs into our societies. However, those bloody hostiles are still in the wild and cause much danger and harm to us." Garfunkel explained as the group walked through the crowded Main Street where the majority of the shops were.

SunRose eyed almost everything that they passed by before looking over at Wheat and Roth, who were still with them, "What are you guys doing here? I thought you had work to do!"

The two stopped in their tracks, scratching their heads, "Yeah, well, um, about that..." Roth began.

"It's pretty common for the moderator to send us to accompany those who must serve time in order to make sure they don't escape or... Something..." Wheat trailed off.

Garfunkel laughed whole-heartily, "Now, now, Miss SunRose, there's no need to become stern towards these young fine gentlemen. They're causing no harm and are only doing their jobs. Now, let's go find this college, shall we?"

Everyone nodded in agreement and began to try to make their way through the massive crowds of Imperial City towards the ever looming college in the corner of the city.

* * *

><p><p>

"This it?" Sabre_Mace asked, walking up to the single wooden door that served as the entrance to the dark, cobblestone building that was nearly as tall as the castle. Black wool was used as the roof while few windows were scattered across the blank walls of the outside. A sign next to the front door read "College of Sir Naught of Imperial Duty" with a steel asterisk placed under it as the symbol of the vicinity.

Garfunkel nodded and pushed through the wooden door, the guards and SunRose following behind while Sabre_Mace continued to inspect the interesting architecture of the building. As the elderly archaeologist stepped up to the front desk, an old woman with purple hair looked up from the desk. Stone doors were placed nearly everywhere on the walls, adding a bit of surrealism to the building.

"What's it gonna take to get you out of my sight?" The lady asked.

"Excuse me? That's no way to treat your elders." Garfunkel noted.

"Elders? I'm older than you by two centuries dear, or at least I look the part. What do you need or are you here to troll me into oblivion?" The lady asked as young student began exiting from the simultaneously opening doors around the room. They all passed by the large group and left the building, most likely returning to their homes.

SunRose stepped in front of Garfunkel, "We need to see one Professor Burnley."

"The professor is on the second floor. However, pissing him off will surely get your head on a platter as he's very persistent on manners." The cranky lady warned before standing up and disappearing behind one of the doors.

The group were appalled at how offensive the lady was but continued on to a set of stairs on the right wall. Just as they began ascending, Sabre_Mace entered into the building and followed behind. The second floor was a single hallway with a wooden plank floor and smooth stone walls. Classrooms were placed all along these walls but, interestingly, without doors. As they approached the far end of the hallway and were about to turn around, a voice called from the last room on the right.

"Gentlemen, in here!" The voice called.

The group entered and saw a short man in a black suit and no hair, holding a wooden stick and staring at a black chalkboard, "Professor Burnley, it's a pleasure to see you again." SunRose said.

"Ah, Madame SunRose! I haven't caught sight of your perfectly straight brown hair since the last exam last year. Are you here for a quick review?" The professor joked before seeing Roth and Wheat, "Oh, is something the matter?"

"We were ordered by the moderator to inspect the watership in the sewers. I don't understand why, but he said to meet you and have you lead us to the sewers. If you are ready to lead us in the correct direction then we might as well take off." Garfunkel explained, inching closer to the door.

Burnley nodded, "I see. Very well, follow me to the basement."

"What?" Everyone shouted.

"Yes, not quite a confusing plot point but the only entrance to the sewers is through the basement of the college. It was made that way because the control panel of the watership is actually in my home towards the other side of the city. There was no need for the entrance to the sewers so we built this college on top of it to keep it shut off. Sadly, the control panel can't fix the watership for whatever reason, so someone is needed to go down into the depths of the sewer and-" Burnley was cut off.

"Alright, we get it, you can't stop it with the exposition. Where's the basement?" Sabre_Mace asked.

Burnley rolled his eyes at Sabre_Mace's rudeness and left the room, leading the group back to the front desk and to the same door that the elderly lady went through. A long set of stone steps descended into complete darkness, spiraling at random points to give whoever decided to use them a sense of disturbance in the ancient sewer tunnels. Before allowing the group down the steps, he turned to Garfunkel and handed him a metal key, "Use this to unlock the door at the bottom. The rest is up to you." With that, he exited the building.

"Well, let's get going now," Garfunkel began, turning to Roth and Wheat, "you two are coming with us, correct?"

Roth scratched his black, buzz cut hair while Wheat stroked his shaved blond beard which matched his short, messy blond hair, "Well, you know, we might as well

and-" Roth began.

"Yeah, we'll go with you!" Wheat shouted, sprinting down the steps and out of sight. Roth almost instantly followed behind. A sudden 'Oof!' was heard and gave the others a clue that one of them had tripped and began rolling to the bottom.

Sabre_Mace sighed and began descending the steps, "This is pointless. Why couldn't Burnley do this?"

"Burnley isn't in the best shape at this point," SunRose said as they walked down the long set of stairs, "I was taking one of his Ancient Studies class when he was called in for examination of something. He returned a month later with a robotic leg."

"My word, a robotic leg? What happened?" Garfunkel asked, intrigued.

"I don't know the absolute truth, but rumor has it that he was somehow poisoned when he was younger and it had just begun to spread through his body. People think that it may have something to do with his amnesia when he first arrived here." SunRose explained.

Sabre_Mace's attention was grabbed, "Amnesia? Like mine? Are you saying that he-"

"I guess he did have sort of the same thing as you. However, I'm not completely positive." SunRose said.

Garfunkel nodded and began to think of something, "But if they both awoke in this world with a case of amnesia, wouldn't that mean the same side effects would occur like the poison?"

"Gah! I don't wanna robotic leg!" Sabre_Mace cried and began running down the steps, a sudden 'Oof!' sounding later.

SunRose chuckled, "Well, at least he's not as mad as he was when we were brought in to the moderator."

"Agreed." Garfunkel laughed.  
><p>

* * *

>The group regrouped in front of a large, stone door that separated the college from the actual sewers. A large, wooden lock held it shut. "Well, we just have to mine this wood and we're in, right?"<p><p>

"Easier done than said, Master Mace." Garfunkel said, quickly mining the wooden lock and pushing the door open. On the other side was a large platform protecting its bystanders from the murky river that barely flowed its path. The river extended for miles both ways, the platform always extending alongside it with the occasional bridges leading to other parts of the sewers.

SunRose walked out and looked closely at the water, which was dark and dirty, "I see why this is so important. If the flow of river slows, then it will mix with the sewage which could cause a disease and a lot of death. It's best that we hurry and find this watership."

"What does a watership look like, anyway?" Sabre_Mace asked.

Roth and Wheat stepped out beside the rest of the group on the edge of the platform, "It's huge! It's like a mixture between a dam and a windmill and-" Roth began.

"It makes a lot of noise so we just have to follow the noise!" Wheat finished.

Garfunkel nodded and noted the two bridges on either side of the platform, "Well, this seems cliche, but it looks like there are two paths that split here. Shall we split up as well?"

Sabre_Mace counted the number of people present, "But there are five! It'll be uneven!"

"Don't forget me!" A female voice called from the other side of the stone doors.

The group turned and saw Lady Serenade step out, holding a diamond sword in her hand. She was still in her blue dress but she looked to have put on a bit of make-up.

"No offense, Ms. Serenade, but you aren't what we were expecting in the adventure type." Garfunkel said.

"Nonsense. I was born into a wandering family. You Pack of Wanderers could really use someone like me." She said and stepped out, waving her rare sword around like a show-off, "So, can we get a move on?"

SunRose nodded, "It can be me, Sabre_Mace, and Garfunkel and you three since you actually know each other."

"Aw, but that's so stupid!" Serenade whined.

Turning red with anger, SunRose raged, "What do you mean stupid!"

"I mean that this should be a way to get to know each other. How about me, Sabre_Mace, and Wheat and then the rest of you are the other group." Serenade suggested to which everyone agreed except SunRose.

"So, basically we just switched Sabre_Mace?" SunRose questioned.

Everyone nodded.

SunRose sighed, "Fine, whatever. Let's go, guys." She began walking to the bridge on the right, Garfunkel and Roth following behind. As the two groups began to separate, SunRose looked back and took one last look at Sabre_Mace before both groups being blocked by the clay walls.

* * *

><p><p>

Lucky for both groups, torches were still present from when the sewers were first built. Unlucky for both groups, the stench was still present as well. The horrendous smell of the sewage from all over the sewers was the strongest scent that they had ever picked up, giving them upset stomachs almost instantly.

"This place reeks!" Sabre_Mace insulted, clenching his nose tight to hold back the smell, "Why can't they have some sort of septic tank cleaner come down here and spray some air conditioning once in a while?"

"That was never needed since the sewers were blocked off when construction was finished." Wheat explained.

Serenade rolled her eyes and slapped both of them, "You idiots! Can't you be serious for at least a moment?"

Sabre_Mace cursed, "Did you see me when that other guy kicked me? I was pretty damn serious back then!"

A strange growl echoed through the tunnels.

"Shut it. We're not alone," Serenade ordered, crouching down and walking down the platform. The other two looked at each other in confusion but followed. They quietly stepped down to the corner at the far end of the platform and looked around. No other platforms were nearby nor were bridges. Only a large lake of sewage could be seen with a tall hill in the middle, "we're almost there."

Both Wheat and Sabre_Mace stared at the lake in shock, "Do we have to swim through this?" They both asked, nearly throwing up at the thought. Several dead fish began floating up to the surface of the sewage before randomly sinking and disappearing, the growl from before returning.

"What was that?" Sabre_Mace questioned.

Just then, the sewage water flew up in a wave like fashion, spraying all over the trio. A massive red squid flew out of the murky water and began swimming around the lake viciously before swimming back into the depths of the lake.

The three were silent.

"Again... What was that?" Sabre_Mace asked, his voice taken away by shock of what he had just witnessed.

Serenade pushed the two back the way they came, "It's a squid. Have you not seen any before?"

"Not any of that size!" Wheat cried.

"It acts just like any other squid, I'm sure. Come on, let's get out of-" Serenade began before more sewage water flew over her and the other two. The squid appeared right beside them, obviously learning of their presence, and began thrashing its large tentacles on the platforms, causing miniature tremors everywhere.

The trio fell to their knees, crawling and trying to keep away from the massive creature as much as they could. The deep, threatening growl it emitted constantly gave them reassurance that they were about to die.

"We need to kill it now!" Wheat shouted to the other two, who were far behind him as they tried to make their way to the sewers entrance.

"None of us can fight! I only brought this sword because it's the only weapon I have!" Serenade yelled before bawling her eyes out, curling up into a ball and waiting for the squid to strike her dead.

Sabre_Mace remained silent, sticking close to the wall and staying out of sight of the monster as it began to sink the platform, water flooding their bodies. Hearing the cries of both his comrades, he put his hands to the wall and pushed himself to his feet. Without much thought, he ran to Serenade and grabbed her diamond sword, which was about to fall into the river and sink to the bottom of the sewers, and pulled the attention of the squid to him, "Hey, ugly bastard! How about you go for the easiest one right here!"

The squid's massive yellow eyes fixated on the user as it lifted up one of its humongous, throbbing tentacles. Another earthquake followed as Sabre_Mace leaped out of the way of the tentacle, barely keeping his balance, and leaping onto the arm of the sea monster. The tentacle receded, but the squid knew that he had a passenger and began to wave it around rampantly. Sabre_Mace, barely catching on to the squid's maneuver before it became wild, stabbed the diamond sword into the middle of the tentacle and held on tight as the beast thrashed it against the walls and wildly in the air.

Wheat, seeing Sabre_Mace's sudden bravery, jumped to his feet while the squid was distracted and ran to Serenade, picking her up and putting her on his back, "We need to get out of here!" He shouted, looking for a way to go.

"There is no way to go!" She cried, pointing to the rising water.

Just then, a long wooden canoe appeared out of the corner of the lake and began rowing towards the group. The wooden boat was being controlled by none other than Garfunkel and Roth, with SunRose merely wide-eyed and shocked by the sheer size of the opponent monster, "Wheat, over here!" She shouted.

Wheat saw them almost instantly and ran over, jumping onto the boat and setting the panicked Serenade down. Looking back at Sabre_Mace, who was still trying his best to hang onto the insane beast, he couldn't help but feel that he could do something.

Looking back at the others, Wheat leaped back onto the platform just as they were about to distance themselves, "I've got an idea! Get everyone to safetyyyyyyyy!" He cried as he fell flat on his face from a tremor from the tentacles of the squid. The growling of the gargantuan beast shook the water this time, shaking the canoe and sending them off course and the opposite direction of the battle scene.

"Sabre_Mace!" SunRose cried as they floated off into the distance.

Wheat, getting to his feet with a bloody nose, looked back at the group who were about to disappear into the distant fog of the sewers, "This has got to end," He spoke to himself and looked at the squid, who paid no attention to anyone but Sabre_Mace, "Hey! Look over here, you son of a gun! Another challenger approaches you and he is a real fighter!" He yelled at the squid.

The squid saw him, the growl from its bowels getting louder and stronger, and sent another tentacle down in his direction. Wheat, at the sight of an incoming massive object, dove into the water and began swimming away, keeping his nose, eyes, and mouth shut from the sewage that developed in.

Sabre_Mace smiled as the squid had calmed down from trying to strike Wheat with the tentacle. He drew the sword from the tentacle of the squid and positioned himself perfectly so that he could leap from his position and onto the large, bulbous head of the sea monster. The squid caught drift of his actions and receded its other tentacle, but not before it felt a thump on its forehead.

The squids growl turned into a deafening cry as Sabre_Mace, without remorse, drove the diamond sword directly into the squids forehead. A mixture of ink and blood began to shoot out all over the water, walls, and what remained of the platform. Before the squid could collapse into the wall, Sabre_Mace leaped off of its forehead and headfirst into the murky water below, disappearing from sight. The sea monsters loud cry suddenly turned into a louder roar as he leaned forward, sending its head into the wall and giving in to the two heroes who had slain him.

A few seconds later, Sabre_Mace resurfaced and climbed onto the remains of the ravaged platform, seeing Wheat sitting against the wall, soaked from head to toe. His blond hair dripped with water as Sabre_Mace held out his hand, helping his in-combat partner to his feet, "What made you assist?"

"I knew something could be done. Besides, you would get all the attention!" Wheat joked. The two stood, laughing loudly before other voices interrupted.

The two looked over and saw the canoe stop beside the destroyed platform, SunRose and Roth jumping out of the boat and running towards the other two. SunRose hugged Sabre_Mace as Roth nearly knocked Wheat over, "Why did you put your life in danger?" SunRose asked.

"Why didn't I?" Sabre_Mace said, "Come on, we have a mission to finish." He said, pushing SunRose aside and jumping onto the canoe. SunRose, sad by Sabre_Mace's rudeness, turned around and saw Wheat and Roth talking.

Roth looked surprised, "You helped him take it down? Are you serious?"

"Yeah, but the whole thing was all him. I would have never been brave enough to climb on top of that thing." Wheat replied as the two walked back to the boat. SunRose followed, slightly depressed by Sabre_Mace's ignorance to her warm welcoming, and boarded the boat.

Garfunkel gripped the front paddle as Roth grabbed hold of the back, "Everybody ready?"

Everyone replied with a loud "Yes!"

"Let's get going, then. I swear, I didn't come down here to slay a bloody monster." Garfunkel groaned as the canoe pulled away from the platform, the mist on the lake devouring them.

* * *

><p><p>

About half an hour later, the watership was said to be finally located by Garfunkel and Roth. Sabre_Mace, who sat in the middle beside Lady Serenade, was forced to be her pillow for the ride as she was still out cold from fainting from the massive squid. Soon, the canoe turned around a corner and faced a dark tunnel, blocked off by bars. A metal door was placed beside it, the button unlocking it out of sight.

"Hurry, everyone, find that button!" Garfunkel ordered as everyone got off the boat. Serenade, who had finally woken up from the old man's sudden booming voice, stumbled onto the platform, falling to her knees against the wall and resting calmly.

SunRose, who was standing by the door, looked at the ground as everyone wandered around aimlessly, "Mister Garfunkel, there's a pressure pad!" She shouted.

Garfunkel turned around and gave her a thumbs up, "Good idea!" He replied and turned to everyone else, "Everyone, look for a pressure pad!"

SunRose leaped at him and knocked him over, "No, a pressure pad is right in front of the door!"

Whilst fixing his archaeologist clothing, Garfunkel got up, slightly shaken, and nodded in apology, "P-Please forgive me, Miss SunRose!" He replied, turning back to everyone who had probably ignored him the first time, "Everyone, return here at once! There was a pressure pad all along!"

A minute later, everyone had regrouped in front of the door, taking turns entering through the door and into the hallway on the other side. Following through the other side of the hall, which there was no door, they found themselves in another wide open lake area, a large water wheel situated at the far wall. The group admired at the intense size of the machine, comparing it to an average dam. They immediately noticed, however, that it was not spinning or operating correctly. The wooden structure was in front of a tall, smooth stone tower that was there for an unknown reason to the group.

A wooden bridge extending all the way to a platform by the side of the watership stood before the group. They crossed it at first sight and were at the massive structure in a matter of moments. They stopped by the tower, admiring its complex structure and how good of a condition its been left in.

While looking all over the watership, Sabre_Mace felt something warm grasp his hand. Slightly looking over, he barely saw Lady Serenade standing directly beside him. At the feeling of her warm hands and her beauty, his face turned red and he gulped, looking forward as Garfunkel began inspecting the machine to discover what was wrong with it.

"There appears to be a missing battery from the machine," He reported after climbing through a small hole in the bottom, "of course, its not just any battery. This type of battery looks to be a molecular battery, one that comes in such a petite size but packs a powerful punch indeed. Where it could have gone, I haven't the slightest clue."

Quiet footsteps caught the attention of the group. Everyone turned around, Serenade removing her hand from Sabre_Mace's, and spotted someone in a red cloak, not bothering to show his identity. Sabre_Mace and Wheat jumped to the front of the group, prepared to protect them.

The unknown figure stuck his hand out, a circular machine in his hand. Garfunkel gasped and jumped in front of Sabre_Mace and Wheat, "That's the molecular battery! He stole it!"

"This? You want this? Come and get it." The figure taunted.

Before Sabre_Mace could make a move, Wheat pushed him back and sprinted at the figure. The leg of the figure stuck out from the cloak, digging into Wheat's incoming body, and flinging him into the nearby lake.

Sabre_Mace drew the diamond sword and prepared to attack before Garfunkel stopped him, "Don't bother if he's going to act violent."

"Smart one, that old man is," The figure joked, "but I am here on behalf of those who will suffer from your wrath." He spoke in a deep, unrecognizable voice. He chucked the battery over to Garfunkel, who just barely caught it, and the old man backed away.

Sabre_Mace was in front of the group again, "If you want a proper conversation, then show us who you are."

"What the hell is the point in that? Its like marrying someone you will never see again. You Pack of Wanderers think of some of the most hilariously awful things in this forsaken world. Tell me, why live when the apocalypse already occurred? We should all be dead right now. However, those who believed in heaven and hell thought that they would go there when they died. This, ladies and gentlemen, is our hell." The man said.

The group were extremely confused at what the man was trying to point out. Sabre_Mace drew his sword again, "What are you trying to say? That the Tech Apocalypse was meant to punish us?"

The man laughed, cackling loudly and letting the echo ring in every one's ears, "At least you get the gist of it. You, with the sword," the figure said, pointing his white finger at Sabre_Mace, "you woke up in the desert, new to the server but without a single thought of where you came from. Why do you think that is?"

"Perhaps the same reason it happened to Burnley." Sabre_Mace answered.

"I knew you might say that. But the fact of it is that Burnley as you know it never had amnesia but was merely faking it for reasons your deteriorating minds can't understand. You, however, are different for you weren't faking it. Waking up in the strange land of Anascentia without your name, origins, but yet the only thing you knew was the historical Technological Apocalypse. Tell me, you do remember that, right?" The man asked, stepping closer to everyone.

Sabre_Mace looked at the ground, thinking hard as he had never bothered to ask anyone what it was since, deep down in his thoughts, he had the feeling that he did know, "I... I..."

"You... don't remember?" The man asked.

"It's where the advanced technology of our old world... It developed to the point where it controlled itself and consumed us entirely... We were forced to escape into the technology, abandoning our old habits and lifestyles to adapt to those of what we built." Sabre_Mace explained, surprised that he randomly knew it all along.

The man sighed in relief, "Thank goodness, I thought you might not have known. But since you do, it is settled: You were brought into Anascentia with a purpose, a destiny, and that destiny involves our rebellion. I, however," the man began to shout, drawing a previously hidden blade from his belt. The sword was small at first, but suddenly expanded into a much larger blade, completely black and made of obsidian.

Sabre_Mace jumped against the wall as everyone ran for their lives. Lady Serenade followed Sabre_Mace to the wall as he began to panic heavily, "I thought it was impossible to craft with obsidian!"

"He's a Redstone rebel, they can practically do anything!" She cried and ran away as the figure drove the sword toward Sabre_Mace. He barely moved out of the way, letting the large sword drive itself into the wall.

The man propped the sword onto his shoulder, staring at Sabre_Mace as he wielded the diamond sword, "Thank god for the apocalypse. I, along with other users of the Anascentia server, were forced to the limitations of the prior Minecraft world. Now that the end has been brought into play, everything from the real world collided with ours: graphics, weaponry, and best of all- realism." He shouted, slamming the massive obsidian sword into the ground. Sabre_Mace flipped backwards and readied his sword, preparing for an opening to attack the still unknown man.

"Yaaah!" A voice cried from behind the figure. Both the figure and Sabre_Mace looked to see Wheat, sprinting to the enemy, and leaping into the air to tackle him. However, the man simply swung his sword around, the edge of the blade slicing through the very spine of the Imperial guard. Blood flew through the air, landing on the obsidian blade and the already red cloak of the enemy. The body of Wheat collapsed to the ground, the skin tone turning completely white.

Everyone around looked in shock as the man in the cloak showed no remorse for the innocent life he had just taken. Sabre_Mace, staring numbly at the pale face of Wheat, gripped the diamond blade with even more force, the veins in his hand popping out. Before the heartless enemy could turn around to protect himself, he felt the sharp pain of the diamond blade drive through and into his back, forcing him onto his knees as he began to cough up blood.

Sabre_Mace stood in place, the sword still positioned in the enemy's back, as he began to watch the figure stand back up, "I see that the Observer has been giving us correct accusations of you. Your strength, wit, courage, and skill are all as he explained to us." The figure said, reaching to his back and manually pulling the sword away. He turned around, pulling off his cloak and showing off his hideously scarred face. A thick, black line ran around his upper head behind medium length white hair, sticking out all over the place. Bloody scars covered his cheeks and neck, and his red eyes stared malevolently at Sabre_Mace, "Now that you and I know each other, we expect our next encounter to be our final, correct... Sabre_Mace, wasn't it?"

Sabre_Mace jumped back, dropping the diamond sword onto the ground, "You know who I am... But I don't know who you are."

The man smirked, picking up his obsidian blade and returning it to its smaller, more convenient form, "You can call me whatever you like, but I would prefer Exile." He said before disappearing in an explosion of red group gathered together, all looking at Sabre_Mace, who was still in a state of shock of what had just happened.

Garfunkel looked at everyone before taking out the molecular battery, "I'll... I'll go put this into the watership now. You guys should go get back on the canoe. I'll be right there." He said before crawling back into the large, wooden structure.

Picking up the diamond sword, Sabre_Mace handed it back to Lady Serenade with a smile, "Take this before I forget to give it back to you."

Serenade shook her head, "No, you keep it. I... Never had a need for it in the first place. You proved yourself worthy by protecting us... You deserve it."

Sabre_Mace nodded, turning to the dead body of Wheat, "I'm sorry I couldn't help you, Wheat..." He solemnly said to himself before walking back to the entrance of the room. Everyone, looking at each other with worry about what he was going through, followed him back to the canoe. Soon, the motionless river came to life with multiple tides every ten seconds. Garfunkel was just barely able to get onto the boat as it was pushed along the tides down the river.

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Hours later, as night approached the world of Anascentia, Lady Serenade returned to the castle, the throne room doors back and Moderator Bastil reading a large book in his throne room. As she opened the door, he threw the book across the room and smiled. However, that smile disappeared as he noticed how dirty she was, her dress a dark brown now and her hair a complete mess.

"My dear, what happened to you?" The moderator asked, rushing over to her and straightening her clothing.

"I went into the sewers with them." She said quietly.

"You what! Why? You could have been killed!" Bastil raged.

"Indeed, but that didn't happen to me... But to Wheat."

Bastil was silent, "Wheat... is dead?"

"A man from the rebellion called Exile killed him. We're all shaken up about it, especially since Sabre_Mace had to save us all multiple times down there." She said before starting to cry, taking a seat on the throne.

"Sabre_Mace? The rude little brat?" Bastil asked.

"He's not rude, he's nice and brave! He scaled a massive squid and slayed it with my diamond sword! He protected us from Exile and kept us all from turning out like... Like Wheat." She cried.

Bastil hugged her, shocked by the sudden events that had taken place without his knowing. Was the Redstone Rebellion up to something that had to do with Sabre_Mace? "Don't you worry, Serenade. Your daddy will handle things."

"About time you act like a father. I'll be in my room." She whimpered before exiting the room.

Bastil, watching as his devastated daughter left his sight, clenched his fist and began rabidly kicking his throne seat, cursing loudly before falling into his seat, tears streaming his face, "Stupid, stupid me... How could I be such an awful father?"  
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><strong>Thought that was awesome? Leave a commentreview. Didn't like it that much? Leave a comment/review. Want more of this or my Ed Edd n Eddy stories? You guessed it: Leave a comment/review. I may take a break from the story until after Christmas, but that isn't in stone just yet. Doesn't matter too much, actually, but whatever.**

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	4. 1 3 The Source of Power

**This is easily the biggest chapter I've ever uploaded onto the site, which is something I'm proud to say.**

**I'm beginning to have thoughts of cancelling the rest of the Cache Enigma series in favor of the Diamond Compass, but neither actually get any attention. Either way, for those who do end up reading this, enjoy.**

**Please rate/review and, since I completely ignored this for the past chapters, I do not own Minecraft.**

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><p>Twinkling stars in the dark night sky weren't enough to calm the upset and depressed mood the Pack of Wanderers were in, particularly Sabre_Mace. Witnessing the death of someone who was growing to be a friend to him and becoming the center of attention to a plan by the Redstone Rebellion was all that was on his mind. The bright, yellow dots that shot across the sky amazed the rest of Imperial City, keeping everyone awake for a night of socializing and drinking, one that Sabre_Mace would not be partaking in. The main events of the special night took place at designated taverns across the metropolis, including the castle foyer.<p>

The Imperial Castle was actually the most popular of the bunch as it allowed everyone to talk to the likes of the Royal Family. Lady Serenade was happy to be with everyone after such a tragic event in her life just occurred, but the moderator didn't feel the same way. Moderator Bastil remained in his blocked off throne room, crafting the night away in the corner, trying to conjure up special items for the hell of it.

A sudden knock on the wall startled him.

Turning around, he began to shake nervously, "C-Come in!"

"I can't. There's no door, your honor." Garfunkel shouted.

The moderator rushed over the broke down the wall, seeing Garfunkel dressed in a black suit with a pipe in his mouth. He waltzed in, looking around the room and quickly seeing the crafting table in the corner. Bastil laughed and scratched his head, destroying the table and hiding it from sight, "Y-Yes, well, what is it now?"

"I just came by to see how you were doing. Your daughter said that she hadn't seen you for a while." He said, blowing bubbles out of his oak pipe. The bubbles floated up to the roof and popped, small droplets of something absorbing into his balding head of hair.

Bastil sighed and took a seat in his throne, throwing his head into his hands, "I just can't believe I let my sweet Serenade follow you into the sewers. She could have ended up like-"

"Like Wheat, I know. The good news is that she didn't. Why don't you come out and enjoy the party? It'll make you feel better!" Garfunkel urged, grabbing onto the king's hand and trying to pull him onto his feet before he leaned back into his chair.

The mod shook his head, "I can't show my face to the public anymore. What will they think of me, a coward who let his own men and nearly his own daughter die to whatever was down there?"

Taking a seat on the arm of the throne, Garfunkel rested his hand on the moderator's knee, "They don't know what happened. As long as we don't make a commotion of these unfortunate events, then we'll be fine."

"But I enjoyed Wheat's company. I don't want to brush his death off to the side as if he never existed." Bastil said, listening to the loud conversations that took place outside his door and at the bottom of the stairs.

"Don't worry. Let Master Mace and I handle the Wheat household while you try to make sense of this Redstone Rebellion's master plan." Garfunkel said, walking out of the hole in the room.

Bastil sighed and walked out after him, catching up quickly before they descended the red stairs, "You need to let me understand what this malevolent fellow stated in your confrontation with him. What was his name again?"

Garfunkel turned around, "I believe it was Exile. He stated that Master Mace would be involved in the destruction of their plans, therefore he was trying to take him out early on. What scares me is that Obsidian666 may be experimenting with the possibility of crafting obsidian into invincible weapons."

"Obsidian, eh?" Bastil wondered, "That reminds me of... Wait, I have an idea!"

"You do? That's fantastic! What is it?" Garfunkel exclaimed.

Bastil pushed the elderly archaeologist further down the steps, "Tomorrow. Meet me here tomorrow with the others."

"Who are the others?" Garfunkel asked.

The mod was already gone from sight.

Garfunkel shook his head and walked to the bottom of the steps, venturing to a table with an assortment of scotch and beer. He began mixing the two and drinking constantly, "If whatever Bastil has in mind is life threatening, then I better enjoy my life while I still can."

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The shining stars from the night before were camouflaged by the bright blue sky, the thirtieth in a row that the server of Anascentia had dealt with. A drought was occurring but the issue wasn't exactly a problem to anyone other than Lady Serenade, who watched over the fields of crops that lay behind the grassy hills behind the Imperial City.

That morning, the group that had fixed the watership previously reunited in the now accessible throne room of Moderator Bastil, who was unusually giddy, trying to sit still in his throne. Sabre_Mace, SunRose, Garfunkel, and Roth were in front of him, the majority of them leaning on one knee in honor. Sabre_Mace leaned against the wall of the entrance, paying no respect or attention.

As the group got back to their feet, Sabre_Mace noticed Lady Serenade enter into the room with a large book in her hand, no cover indicating what book it was. She handed the book to Bastil and sat on the right armrest of the throne as Bastil stood up, a creepy smile spreading on his face.

"You all shall be my heroes!" He shouted.

No reaction from the group indicated that they were happy or didn't understand what was going on.

Sabre_Mace stepped forward, "Stop trying to build up suspense. What is it that you want us to do, Bastil?"

Garfunkel nudged the young user in the elbow, "Master Mace, you show your respect to our high moderator and address him as Your Honor, you hear?"

"That is mighty fine, Garfunkel. Let the youngster address me as however as he pleases." Bastil said, trying to get to his main point without being interrupted again.

Sabre_Mace stared at the king in confusion, "Well, you're awfully respectable to me today. What happened, Tinkerbell zap you on the butt?"

The moderator hushed Sabre_Mace quickly with a stern look from the corner of his red eyes. Flipping open to a random page in the book, a yellow piece of paper fell out and to Roth's feet. The Imperial servant picked it up and looked at it, examining it as a map of Anascentia, "Sir, is this what your were looking for?"

"Yes. Listen up and listen good as you are going to be my eyes and ears for a little while. Last night, I got the idea that a way to determine what the Redstone Rebellion may have in store for us is to examine the materials that they use." Bastil explained, grabbing the map and pointing to a large X that was northeast of the city by a few miles.

"You're sending us on missions now?" SunRose asked.

"Precisely. You, my dear friends, are the new Pack of Wanderers," Bastil exclaimed, pointing to Roth, SunRose, Garfunkel, and Sabre_Mace before turning around to his own daughter Serenade, "that includes you, Lady Serenade."

Serenade jumped and looked at him in shock, "Father, are you serious? I just risked my life by going into those damned sewers! Is this how you treat your daughter, sending her off with these good-for-nothing archaeologists to be slaughtered by those Redstone rebels?"

"Nonsense. I have faith in you, my dear, and I have no doubt that you will return in one piece." Bastil chuckled.

"How can you be so sure?" She asked.

"Because," Bastil shouted, ripping off his red king uniform and appearing before everyone in a brown set of archaeologist clothing, "I will be going with you!"

Serenade fainted.

Sabre_Mace sighed, "This can't be good."

"Are we really good for nothing?" Roth asked SunRose.

"Your honor," Garfunkel said, stepping up to the excited yet oblivious king, "you can't be going about and risking your dear life! I understand that you don't want to let your daughter get nearly killed like in the sewers, but we are well prepared this time."

"Are you kidding? I've been yearning for some adventuring since my glory days!" Bastil said, drawing a kitchen knife from his leather belt, filled with an assortment of crude archaeologist equipment.

Garfunkel grabbed the tip of the knife and swiftly drew it out of the moderator's hand, sheathing it into his own belt, "Perhaps you should be better equipped first, your majesty. Where is it that you even want us to go? A factory?"

"Good heavens, no. There is a redstone mine northeast of here. It's one of the last to be associated with the Imperials. I want to see what we can discover in the depths of the facility and to study this obsidian a bit further." Bastil explained as the group exited the castle.

Sabre_Mace grabbed the knife from Garfunkel's belt and began looking at it strangely, "Are you saying you've never encountered obsidian before? If so, then that's strange."

"Yes, well, obsidian isn't too common in Anascentia unless it's the rebellion, as you say. Is there anything else that I should understand about this obsidian?" The mod asked.

As Garfunkel opened his mouth to speak, SunRose interrupted him, "The only way to mine obsidian is by using diamond-crafted equipment. If we want to investigate and take samples, it's advised that we-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Let's stop at the weapon shop and I'll borrow some stuff for the trip." Bastil said and took a sudden left down a alley between two brick buildings. The others followed, extremely confused by the sudden mood change of their king.

Unbeknownst to them, however, was that they were being watched. A dark figure on the opposite side of the alley, donned in a black trench coat with a large fedora covering his face, stared as the wanderers disappeared behind the buildings.

"Interesting, yet understandable. Quite an oblivious king we've got." The figure commented to himself before turning around to see a white man in a silver uniform with a sword standing before him.

"Excuse me, but citizens of the city have reported your unwelcoming presence. If you could please remove your-" Before the knight could finish his request, the mysterious man sent his clenched fist straight into the knight's stomach, sending him to the ground instantly. While no one paid much attention yet, the man fled to the gate, heading north east.

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The desert was a magnificent field of sand and heat that was like no other. The Pack of Wanderers, equipped with the proper diamond equipment thanks to the notoriety of Bastil, trekked across the seemingly endless sands, unaware of what actually lay out there. Garfunkel and SunRose pondered the idea of running into more mobs like they did when venturing to the Ancient Tombs, but since it was broad daylight out, the idea was inevitable.

"So, how 'bout this drought." Sabre_Mace said as the group began to fall victim to the awful heat, no sight of a rest stop in the horizon. Actually, no sight of anything in the horizon other than wind and more sand.

Moderator Bastil coughed, "Yes, I guess it is a bit unfortunate that we make this trip under such conditions as this."

"When was the last time you actually experienced rain? It feels like it never touched this server before." Sabre_Mace asked, bending down and filling his hands with the hot sand.

"Several months ago," Lady Serenade broke in, letting Bastil lead the way to their destination, "the crops aren't exactly doing too well with the lack of water and nourishment. I'm scared that the fields of them may have to be paved over in case of failure."

Garfunkel, who was leading the group next to SunRose in the front, stepped back to join the conversation, "That would be quite unnecessary, wouldn't you agree? Just go ahead and build a bloody roof over them and give them showers every now and then."

"That would work if it were in the real world. Flooding and improper care of the water would cause problems. Its best that we preserve the crops as much as we can, but the citizens of Imperial City are already growing uneasy of the conditions they must live under." Serenade lectured. Garfunkel nodded and turned to Sabre_Mace, who had lost interest and began getting ahead of everyone else.

The elder ran up and grabbed the young one's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks, "Where do you think you're going? Stay with the group or you'll get lost."

"I'm just interested in this Redstone place. However," Sabre_Mace looked to Bastil, who was paying close attention, "why is it that this is one of the last mines under Imperial control?"

"It's quite obvious that the Redstone Rebellion have something to do with it, but it is also in the fact that we are trying to reproduce electricity from the real world." Bastil explained.

"But isn't redstone technically electricity?"

"That is correct to some extent, but it doesn't operate in the same manner. With electricity, we can manipulate the capabilities of these structures and make what was in the real world in this world as well. You do remember what structures we had in the real world, right?" Bastil questioned.

Sabre_Mace stopped in mid-step, nearly falling over. The rest of the group halted movement at the command of Bastil, "Not exactly."

"Do you remember any of the real world, Master Mace?" Garfunkel asked.

Sabre_Mace shook his head.

"Lies! You perfectly explained the real world to Exile in the sewers!" SunRose shouted.

"That is quite enough, young lady. We don't want to cause frustration in such a location that it will get to our head. Sabre_Mace, it doesn't matter, I was just wondering." Bastil said as the group began moving again.

Sabre_Mace stood in place a while longer, looking at the group from a distance, "What's wrong with me? It seems that Exile knows more about me than I do, but..." He said to himself before shaking his head of the thought. He quickly caught up with the group just as they began descending a random hill. Once he was at the top of said hill, he noticed a massive mountain range of clay and rock at the bottom with some sort of collection of buildings in front of them. A large hole was inside of the mountain with a mine cart tracks running inside.

"Is this where we were heading?" Sabre_Mace called the the others at the foot of the hill. Since none of them could hear him, he ran down quickly just as they entered into the collection of buildings, all made of smooth stone. Another user was at a crafting table next to the cave entrance, not paying any attention to the visitors that had just arrived. Wooden planks were placed all around the entrance to the mountain and seemed to make up the entire cave from where Sabre_Mace was standing. Torches ran for miles into the tunnel, eventually hitting a hill and disappearing.

Bastil walked up to the man at the crafting table who was wearing a red bandanna and similar clothing to him and Garfunkel, "Excuse me?"

The man turned around and jumped at the sight of the mod, "Oh, good lord it's you, Bastil! What brings you to these neck of the woods?"

"I just wanted a closer look at the redstone inside the mine, if that's okay with you." Bastil requested.

The man looked past the king and at the rest of the group, who were talking among themselves, "I dunno, it seems pretty dangerous down there as of recent times. Say, who are those with you? I thought you didn't hang out with chumps."

Bastil's fist slammed into the miner's face instantly, sending the immature fellow to the ground, "Don't call my daughter a chump."

"Y-Yes your honor!" The man apologized, his voice shaking from the sudden pain that struck him. Lucky for him there were no severe injuries and no blood present.

The moderator nodded, accepting the man's apology, and looked into the mine, "This the entrance?"

The miner nodded, "Y-Yes, but why would you wanna go down there? Make the others go for you."

"I'm not letting my daughter risk her life without me again."

The miner was confused instantly, scratching his chin in curiosity as to what the king had meant, "Uh, okay. Yeah, go right ahead. If you need anything, just let me know. Ya can call me Oscar_Ray, or just Oscar or Ray or somethin'."

The king nodded and turned back to the group, eyeing the perfectly normal mine cart in front of them, "Serenade, dear, why don't you get in the mine cart and I'll push you down?"

"I can walk, father." Serenade replied.

"But it'll be less of a burden to you, dear." Bastil advised.

"Please, I've had worse done to me." She said and began to walk down the tunnel alongside the mine cart track.

Roth looked around and jumped in the mine cart, "This opportunity doesn't come around everyday! Push me down, scotty!"

"It's Sabre_Mace, moron." Sabre_Mace replied, kicking the mine cart down the track and watching as the Imperial servant disappeared down the hill quickly.

Bastil ordered for the group to begin down the tunnel, "Miss, could you perhaps explain where obsidian may be found?"

"We just have to find a place where lava and water collide. When that happens, obsidian is formed." SunRose said. The group began to notice that Lady Serenade was far ahead of them, possibly at the bottom of the slope already.

"We have to dig all the way down to lava level?" Sabre_Mace whined.

Garfunkel slapped him, "Stop complaining. Work is one of the keys to success and survival in Minecraft."

"I understand that, but-"

"Good, then we should try to find the bottom of this mine as soon as possible." Garfunkel said, running ahead of the group in excitement. The others looked at each other before following behind in anticipation of what may be inside the dimly lit mine of redstone.

However, as the group met the bottom of the slope, they saw that the tunnel branched in two directions, one of which Roth and the mine cart followed to the right. The one that Roth had gone down was lit with redstone torches, making it much darker than the opposite tunnel, which was lit with regular torches and many of them at that.

"Split up again?" Garfunkel suggested.

"I'm afraid so. Alright, how shall we go about this?" Bastil asked.

"I'll make the groups," Lady Serenade said, "it should be me, Roth, and Sabre_Mace and the rest of you."

SunRose shook her head in disbelief, "Excuse me? That's what you suggested last time. How about we shake it up a bit? You yourself said that it should be organized by getting to know each other."

"It'll be me, SunRose, and Garfunkel. Ms. Serenade, stay with your father and go find Roth." Sabre_Mace said, ending the discussion early and walking down the tunnel to the left.

Lady Serenade sighed and followed Bastil down the redstone tunnel, following the mine cart track far down into the dark hall that went on for a while with other halls branching off of it. Bastil eyed his daughter every now and then, noticing how she suddenly had become slightly rude and depressed upon entrance into the mine.

Serenade looked down every hall that they passed that branched off theirs, no torches along their walls whatsoever, "Why are we here again? Something about obsidian?"

"What the Redstone Rebellion has up their sleeve worries me. Based on what Garfunkel told me about the incident in the sewers, it sounds like their using obsidian to their advantage. The thing that worries me the most is that obsidian cannot be crafted, so Obsidian666 must be doing something behind our backs." Bastil said.

Serenade nodded and noticed that the mine cart track abruptly ended at a cliff. A dark tunnel underneath the tunnel could be seen with the remains of the mine cart that Roth was riding, but no sign of the Imperial servant anywhere.

"This isn't good!" Bastil noted, jumping off the cliff and crying in pain as he landed on the clay below.

"Must I always remind you to stop jumping from such tall heights?" Serenade remarked, stepping to the edge and mining a stack of clay until she was on even ground with her father. Without another word she continued down the tunnel.

Bastil sighed, nearly letting out a cry of failure, "Why... Won't she accept me?"

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"This place is a dump," Sabre_Mace commented on the unnecessary items strewn along the tunnel, including a dispenser and multiple defunct crafting tables, "if they're going to run a mining operation, at least keep the place presentable. And what's with all this wood?"

The trio had already walked most of the way down the hall, noticing that wooden planks were lined randomly in straight lines in the clay ceiling.

"The problem with this mine is that the upper layer consists of a combination of gravel and sand. To keep it pent up and out of harm's way, they use the most accessible resource a.k.a wood." SunRose lectured, proud with herself and how much she knew.

"Wood is accessible in a desert? Not how I remembered resources working." Sabre_Mace sharply remarked. SunRose turned red with rage as to how her new friend must always rudely respond to her lessons.

Garfunkel, who was falling behind the two, stepped in between quickly, "Settle down, ladies and gentlemen. We need to find some sort of staircase that'll take us further down. Begin looking, you two!"

"And what about you, old man?" Sabre_Mace asked.

"That does it! Show some respect to your elders!" Garfunkel shouted, his aging voice echoing around the tunnel.

Sabre_Mace nodded and turned around, "This sure does remind me of the Ancient Tombs, but I guess that doesn't matter."

Garfunkel and SunRose looked at each other in shock of how rude and irresponsible Sabre_Mace was asking in comparison to how he was protecting their lives in the

sewers. Despite this, they began examining the walls and floor for stairs or secret passageways that lead further into the mine.

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Meanwhile, on the outside of the mine, Oscar_Ray was still huddled over his crafting table as the sun took its seat at the top of the sky, signifying noon. A large chest full of an assortment of randomly crafted items filled up quickly with Oscar not having any other activities to keep him busy or at work.

"Maybe if I take this wood and add some water... Wait, what is that supposed to do? It's obviously wood and lava!" He shouted, trying to craft a bucket of lava and wood together only to obviously fail.

Quiet footsteps approached him from behind, "Excuse me. A collective of figures came by here recently, correct?" A deep and melancholic voice asked.

Oscar turned around slowly, inferior to the shadow of the tall man with silver hair and scars covering his face, a evil grin spreading as Oscar began to whimper, "Y-Yeah, how'd ya know?"

"You might say we're friends. Really close friends, too." The man laughed.

Oscar forced a small laugh to as to not anger the man, "D-Do you w-wanna go see 'em?"

The man stopped laughing and looked at Oscar, an eyebrow raised, "Don't you worry, I've already got something in store for them." He said, drawing a small sword from underneath his red cloak.

"Y-You're not g-going to harm them, are ya?" Oscar asked, gulping in fear.

"Nope," The man said, turning around towards the cave entrance, "not yet, at least."

A sudden feeling came over Oscar, his eyes twitching as he knew that his "friends" were in danger. Turning back towards the crafting table, he quickly began crafting together a stone sword. Just as he finished and equipped it, he noticed the mysterious man turn back around.

"You're not going to... Fight me, are you?" The man asked, holding his sword toward Oscar.

Oscar drew his sword, his legs trembling but his heart telling him he was doing the right thing, "Whoever you are, I can take you!"

The man laughed and, with the flick of his wrist, the small sword quickly grew into a massive obsidian blade, gargantuan in size compared to the average sword. Oscar began crying wildly, curling up into a ball as the man approached him, the tip of his sword touching the miner's cheek, "Some call me Exile... Others never got the chance to." Seconds later the blood of the miner stained the sand as Exile turned back to the mine, sheathing his blade again and laughing to himself, the light from the tunnel growing dimmer for some odd reason, "Your time is up, Sabre_Mace."

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Sabre_Mace suddenly stopped in mid-search for a secret passage, a random fear running over him and making his blood run cold, "Did you guys just feel that?"

SunRose looked out from an indent in the wall she was examining, "Feel what?"

"Nothing." Sabre_Mace murmured, getting back to searching but with a feeling that something dangerous was about to take place.

"Whew," Garfunkel groaned, wiping sweat from his forehead after mining much of the clay out of the ground, "shall we take a break? I have the craving for crumpets all of a sudden."

Sabre_Mace grinned, "Yeah, that's totally relevant. Anyway, I don't think we'll find anything here. Should we perhaps head back and find Bastil?"

The elderly archaeologist sat down on the edge of the pit he was mining into, "Think wisely, Master Mace. We'll keep investigating until we come across any clue of a passageway. Bastil and Serenade will be fine."

"Yeah, whatever," Sabre_Mace said, walking back down the tunnel from where they came from before stopping, noticing that the entrance to the tunnel was completely blocked off all of a sudden, "old man! We've got trouble!"

Garfunkel and SunRose quickly made their way to the blocked off tunnel, "What is it, Master-" Garfunkel began before noticing the material used to make the wall,

"... Is... Is that obsidian?"

"I'm afraid so, Mr. Garfunkel. Quickly, we'll use the diamond equipment we got!" SunRose suggested, reaching into her inventory and pulling out a diamond pick-axe. The other two did the same.

Sabre_Mace stepped up to the wall before noticing something, "Guys, are your axes worn out as well?"

"What do you mean, Sabre_Mace?" SunRose asked, examining her axe.

"These are practically broken! We were given unusable equipment!" Sabre_Mace pointed out, throwing the axe to the ground and taking a seat against the obsidian wall.

Garfunkel turned around and jumped back into the cave he was mining underground, "Not to worry, friends. I'll just mine underneath the wall and we'll be perfectly fine." He said before disappearing underground. SunRose and Sabre_Mace listened as their mentor continued to collect clay and go further in before there was a sudden silence.

"Old man, are you alright?" Sabre_Mace called out, jumping to his feet and running to the cave.

"Children, run! There's TNT down here!" Garfunkel shouted as he began running out of the cave. Sabre_Mace could only see Garfunkel's face before a loud boom shook the entirety of the mine, smoke emitting everywhere and the trio being forced backwards into the many holes that the explosion crafted.

* * *

><p><p>

The dark, misty tunnel of the mine was as eerie and haunting as anyone could imagine it. Serenade opened her eyes, feeling cold stone underneath her body and seeing nothing but smoke, billowing thoroughly through the remainder of the tunnel. The daughter slowly got to her feet, feeling blood trickle down her leg and noticing, just barely, the dark ash covering her arms. She looked ahead, noticing that she had been thrown into a large hole.

Slowly crawling upwards and and onto higher ground, she began to hack as the smog entered into her lungs. Looking around, the tunnel was just barely visible through the extremely dark haze. A figure was limping out towards her, its identity a mystery as Serenade's sight was weakening.

"Get up! Hurry!" The figure shouted, grabbing her by the arm and caressing her in his arms. It ran down the tunnel, the smoke blowing past them as they fled the scene at incredible speed.

Lady Serenade tilted her head and looked up at the figure, noticing through the ash that covered its face to be her very own father, a slight tear streaming from both his eyes as he sprinted through the tunnel to unknown depths.

"Daddy..." Serenade quietly coughed, closing her eyes slightly.

"Everything's going to be alright, darling. At least I hope." Bastil whimpered, fearing for his own daughter's life and health.

"I wouldn't put much effort into saving her." A voice shouted from behind them.

Bastil stopped immediately, nearly dropping Serenade onto the ground. Looking through the smoke, he saw a tall figure in a red cloak, barely making out any facial features in the dark, hazy tunnel, "Please help us! I'm afraid my daughter might be at risk from this disaster!"

The figure chuckled, "I am not the one to save you, but to shine light upon who you truly are. You are no king, merely a bumbling fool with ignorance the size of this mine. Care for your daughter all you want, but keep in mind only this- there's always light at the end of the tunnel." The figure wickedly spoke before unsheathing his sword, the blade quickly bulging into a massive blade of abnormal proportions.

Bastil gasped and back-stepped, "Who are you?"

Serenade cried quietly, "E... Exile..."

"Exile?..." Bastil trailed off, noticing the figure walking forward, swinging the blade around like a toy. Without another thought, the mod turned around and sprinted the fastest he had ever before. Not daring look back for worry of his daughter's life, he continued to run until the redstone torches finally appeared again, a wooden door ahead. Bastil ran quickly to the door, opening it up and running inside before finding himself in a small 4x4 room consisting of only gravel. As he turned around, he saw the figure appear in the doorway, breaking down the wooden door and laughing wickedly.

"Making it quick would never compensate for the fact that I mistook you for Sabre_Mace, so I shall make your death a rotting experience that you will never forget as you rot in the Nether." Exile spoke, his white hair darkened by the ash floating around in the smoke.

Bastil propped his daughter in the corner and faced Exile head on, "What are you going to do to us, trap us in here? We'll dig our way out!"

"You underestimate the power of trinitrotoluene, my dear aging friend. The impact of such an explosion can cause the simplest of injuries, including what I know has occurred to you. My friend, you have broken hands, of which are necessary for digging your way out." Exile said.

Bastil drew his diamond pick-axe, "And what about this?"

"A mere dud. You were tricked by the filthy people who call themselves users but are only nether spawn. Welcome to society, you old geezer, the same society you've been trying to lead for the last few years," Exile said stepping back and pointing his obsidian-crafted sword at Bastil's face. With a single strike at the cobblestone above the doorway, the stone broke, the gravel above it collapsing and trapping the duo inside the blocked off room in the mostly abandoned mine, "good riddance. I'll be sure to make sure someone of a worthy cause usurps your throne." Exile finished, disappearing back inside the mine.

With only one redstone torch to keep the two company, Bastil and Serenade sat next to each other, staring at the gravel wall with completely blank stares, "Dad... Are we gonna die?"

"... Yes. But don't be afraid," Bastil said, scooping up some gravel from the ground underneath him, letting it pour out from the space between his fingers, "as it won't affect anyone. We are as minuscule as the pebbles in the ground that we live on. Time moves without us from here on out, my dear."

Serenade let tears fill her eyes, her sight becoming more unclear, "Why did you come with us? Why couldn't you do your damn job and not get yourself killed like me? You matter to everyone!"

"It's not that simple," Bastil murmured, looking at the ground and then at the cobblestone ceiling, "the pain you brought home from the sewers angered me, making me realize that I was putting my own descendant before me in the wrong way. If anything, I should have gone into the sewers and gotten nearly killed."

"But I never was in danger as long as I was with Sabre_Mace! He saved us on multiple occasions, even if the second wasn't as.." She trailed off, not saying another word.

Bastil continued looking at the cobblestone ceiling, sighing and letting out tears of his own, "We could end it all now. Above this ceiling is most likely more gravel... Gravel that would be inescapable."

"No," Serenade said, embracing her father and letting her emotional tears stain his ash covered uniform, "if this is how we die, I want to live out the rest of my pointless life with you."

All feeling disappeared to Bastil at that very moment. The tears emitting from his eyes fell onto the ground, his heart mended by understanding that his daughter wasn't all that she expressed to him, "Darling... I'm sorry I was never the father figure that you wished me to be. I'm regretting ever becoming the moderator of the city as it was the only way to give you something to look up to. But in these final hours of our lives, I just want to tell you that there is no better accomplishment in my life other than the idea that I got the privilege of being your father..."

Serenade began crying quietly, the redstone torch above them beginning to dim as the minutes of silence went by.

Bastil put his hand into Serenade's, "Serenade, I love you."

* * *

><p><p>

"Wha... What just..." Sabre_Mace thought to himself as he climbed out of the gaping hole in the tunnel that was left as a result of the explosion. Smoke filled the tunnel, ash covering the ground, and a dark figure walking past him, not noticing his presence, "Hello? Who's there?"

The figure turned around and jumped with joy, "Master Mace, is that you? Thank god you're alive or I would've had to... Well, anyway, where's Miss SunRose?"

"How should I know? I just woke up. Who in the right mind would place TNT in a mine? People these days, I swear." Sabre_Mace ranted, looking around and picking up some dropped torches, placing them along the walls. The smoke continued to billow through the tunnel, but cleared slowly and allowed for a better view of both ends of the hall. The obsidian, somehow, was untouched. The rest of the tunnel expanded the other way, not taking any turns or hills downwards or upwards, just straight.

Garfunkel began walking down the tunnel, "There's only one way to go, Master Mace. Let's find Miss SunRose and get out of here!"

"What about Bastil?"

The elder stopped and looked back, "I'm sure he'll find his way out. Have faith in others and not just yourself, Master Mace."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's go find her and get out of here already. There honestly was never a point in this stupid trip anyway." Sabre_Mace groaned as the two began down the tunnel, placing torches all along the walls for light.

"You never know, Master Mace. It's not always about the goal, but the trip that makes everything worthwhile," Garfunkel said just as a metal door came into view, "ah, here we go. Progress!"

The door opened and Exile exited, his hair free of ash and his many scars opening back up, "Progress is something that doesn't need to be thrown around like that. Progress is halted in so many ways. Example A-" He shouted, barely giving Garfunkel and Sabre_Mace a chance to react to his appearance. He sprinted forward, jumping left and right almost instantly, and impaling the butt of his sword into Sabre_Mace's stomach. The young user flew back and onto the ground, almost unconscious, "now, are there any questions?"

Garfunkel stood his ground, "You leave Master Mace alone!"

"I would call you his girlfriend, but that would be inappropriate for this scenario." Exile insulted before swiping his small blade across Garfunkel's face, letting blood trickle down his face and forcing him onto the ground like Sabre_Mace.

"Sabre_Mace!" SunRose cried as she crawled out of the metal door. Tears ran from her eyes as Exile approached her, swinging his sword around and smiling, "Sabre_Mace, help!"

Exile kicked her in the face, "Let dying dogs die, little one. The rebels win in all their games, so expecting something as weak and abnormal as him to stand back up is a mere fantasy only imaginable by the world's most mental."

"Dreams tend to come true," Sabre_Mace spoke, spitting out blood as he got to his feet slowly, "especially when the villain decides to 'kill' with the non-deadly end of his sword. Come on, you're acting like a kid's show here."

The Redstone rebel turned around and laughed, "Maybe that is true. But not in your grandpa's case." He said, pointing his sword to Garfunkel as he lay on the ground, blood staining the clay.

Sabre_Mace ran over and put the old man's head in his hand, trying to wake him up, "Old man, wake up! We're getting out of here together!"

"How incredibly cliche of you. Let me make this a bit easier on your shoulders." Exile said, kicking Sabre_Mace aside and preparing to instantaneously thrust his sword into the chest of Garfunkel, killing him right there.

"Don't you dare hurt him!" Sabre_Mace warned, drawing his diamond sword and ramming it into Exile's stomach, sending him backwards. He then picked up Garfunkel and began running away to the hole he awoke in, placing him there and returning to higher ground where Exile was approaching him.

The rebel laughed and turned his blade to the massive obsidian that everyone feared, "It seems you want revenge, young lad. That fellow I murdered in the sewers, remember? Our meetings always end in blood, whether it's yours or mine. Let's keep this tradition going." He said and ran forward at Sabre_Mace, swinging the obsidian blade vertically. Sabre_Mace rolled to the right and swiped his sword horizontally, inflicting pain on the rebel and making him step backwards slightly.

"We can always post-pone this little get together." Sabre_Mace joked.

Exile didn't reply, merely rushing forward and stabbing the sword forward, watching as Sabre_Mace rolled to the right again. Before the hero could do any more damage, he swiftly threw the swords left, waiting to slice off Sabre_Mace's head unexpectedly. However, Sabre_Mace was quick and ducked, rolling backwards and leaping onto the massive sword, jumping from it to over Exile's head. Before Exile could turn and protect himself, Sabre_Mace stabbed the flawless diamond sword into his enemy's back, just below the heart. Blood dripped from the mark on his back as he winced in pain, the sword slowly digging deeper into his insides.

"How did... Damn it... Damn it all!" Exile shouted.

Sabre_Mace smirked, drawing the sword and back flipping as to see if Exile would continue on fighting, "Well, guess our meetings do always end in blood. Not as much as you wanted, I suppose, but not everyone can be a vampire."

Exile smirked and returned his obsidian sword to normal, "Heh... The Dragon Prophecy was true after all, in that the new user would put an end to our plans. How long this will take, however..."

"What? You read the Dragon Prophecy? How?" Sabre_Mace became confused and worried.

"You thought you had it all? Think again. MajesticQ always had her eyes on the Dragon Prophecy, far before you filthy wanderers even knew it existed. That day that you found it, she was only able to extract small bits of the legend." Exile explained.

"MajesticQ?" Sabre_Mace wondered, looking back to the day that they had wandered into the Ancient Tombs. Suddenly, the lady who Octagon had chased after came into mind, "Wait, she was MajesticQ? Wait... We're still missing part of the prophecy?"

"Exactly. What I would do to see the expression on your face when you realized that forever. MajesticQ, an assassin that could have dealt away with you before I even came into the picture, was there all along to screw around with you. How does that make you feel?" Exile wondered, laughing hysterically.

Sabre_Mace was about to strike his diamond sword into Exile's face before noticing Garfunkel climbing out of the hole, the blood from his scar drying, "Master... Mace... Where... What happened to... Octagon?"

"Octagon?" Sabre_Mace began thinking again about what could have happened to Octagon after the events at the Ancient Tombs. If the Redstone Rebellion did get the Dragon Prophecy in the end, then that means MajesticQ succeeded, but then what happened to Octagon?, Sabre_Mace thought.

"Ah, yes. That boy," Exile began, turning around and walking toward SunRose, "let's just say, isn't completely gone yet." He said before disappearing in the red smoke again, just like in the sewers.

Sabre_Mace began thinking again, wondering where the Redstone Rebellion may be going with these plans, "Garfunkel, do you have any idea as to how the rebellion may be involved in the Dragon Prophecy?"

"Not in the slightest, Master Mace." Garfunkel said. Sabre_Mace hurried over to him and propped him up on his shoulders, carrying him over slowly to SunRose, who was still on the ground, almost unconscious.

As the two got to her, she looked up, "Oh, Sabre_Mace... Can we leave now?"

Sabre_Mace smiled, "Without a doubt."

SunRose smiled back and stood up, helping carry Garfunkel to the hole he was digging prior to the explosion of events. The trio slowly dropped down and continued digging under the obsidian wall, eventually coming out on the other side and seeing the partly sunny sky outside, "Let's go home." She cried as the group began to climb out.

* * *

><p><p>

The sound of rocks rolling around in the gravel sounded.

"What was that?" Serenade asked, hugging Bastil even more.

The sound grew closer.

"Don't worry. It's probably just Exile coming to finish us off." Bastil warned, closing his eyes.

"But he wanted us to die slowly."

"I know, dear. Don't ask questions, just wait for the end to come." Bastil said, tears beginning to flow from his eyes again.

"End? The end of what?" Roth asked on the other side of the gravel wall.

Serenade and her father looked at the wall, at each other, then back at the wall, "Roth? Is that you, Roth?" Bastil asked.

The wall of gravel quickly dispersed as Roth's figure came into view, him mining it all away, "What are you guys doing in here? And why do you look so sad? Come on, everyone's waiting at the stairs."

Serenade jumped up and wrapped her arms around Roth, "Oh, thank god you're alive, Roth! Where the hell were you? We were about to starve to death in there before you came along!"

"I somehow found a pool of water not too far from here. No lava though, sadly. Then I heard and felt an explosion and began making my way out, somehow following your whiny voice here." Roth laughed.

Serenade was about to reply to his insult before calming down and looking at her happy father, "It... It doesn't matter anymore. As long as we can go home again."

Bastil smiled and stood up, shaking Roth's hand, "Lead the way, Roth."

"Sir!" Roth saluted before turning around and marching down the tunnel.

* * *

><p><p>

Sunlight basked upon the Pack of Wanderers as they stepped outside again, unsure of how long they were in that tunnel or if anything else happened in the server. The group all smiled and hugged one another in joy of coming out alive after such a struggling time, not aware of the dead body of Oscar in the corner of the entrance of the mine.

As the group gathered at the exit of the small collection of buildings, they looked to Bastil, who turned around and sighed heavily, "Despite not finding any obsidian, we all made an accomplishment, whether you know it or not. This is one trip... That I will never forget." He smiled and hugged his daughter as the group began trekking back across the sands of the desert.

Clouds hung over the unusually dark sky, even though it was obviously noon. Sabre_Mace watched the skies, barely seeing the sun through the dark clouds, "It's awfully unusual to have dark clouds like this in Anascentia, isn't it?"

Bastil stopped, signalling for everyone else to stop, "Yes, but this isn't the first time. Long ago, not too long into this drought, the dark clouds seemed to be the bringing of rain and wealth to the crops. However, they were merely a sign of bleak times to come."

A single drop of water collided with his face.

"Bleak times, eh?" Sabre_Mace smiled.

Another drop of water splashed onto Sabre_Mace's face, then SunRose's and Serenade's. Soon, a collection of water droplets began falling from the sky, soaking the sand and turning everyone's clothes into a damp wardrobe. Eventually, as everyone smiled and laughed, it became a downpour.

"Quite an end to a drought, wouldn't you say my dear?" Bastil laughed, hugging his daughter. She hugged back and soon the two were slowly dancing in the wet sand, the sediment rising up onto their legs.

Garfunkel looked at Roth, who slowly approached him, "M-May I have this dance?"

"Excuse me, but I'm not much of a dancer, Master Roth. Also, don't you find it semi-peculiar of two males dancing slowly together in the cold November rain?" Garfunkel asked, confused by Roth's suggestion.

"Garfunkel, it's September." Sabre_Mace, who was nearby with SunRose, pointed out.

"Well, you just had to ruin the moment there, Master Mace. Come along, Roth, let's get a move on before this becomes a flood." Garfunkel advised, walking past the dancing father and daughter. Roth nodded and ran after him, following through the drenched sands.

As Sabre_Mace was about to begin following, he noticed SunRose out of the corner of his eye, staring at Bastil and Serenade with a hint of depression in her eyes. He slowly approached her, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. It feels to me that, somehow, everyone is going to end up dying in the end of this." She said, the rain soaking her hair.

Sabre_Mace was speechless, "What gives you that idea that this will happen?"

"It's not a fear, but a feeling and nothing more. The actions being taken by Exile and the Redstone Rebellion are beginning to frighten me and those that I care deeply about."

"Exile is nothing more than a cliche pawn sent by the rebellion. With such a large and heavy sword, I'm surprised he can even carry it compared to how weak he actually is." Sabre_Mace pointed out.

The rain picked up.

SunRose looked down and began walking forward as Bastil and Serenade began walking together after Garfunkel and Roth, "Let's just hope it never comes to this. Those that I love should never have to confront such terrible people as the rebels, you hear?"

"Okay?" Sabre_Mace assured, following behind, confused as to what SunRose might be trying to hint at or point out. The feeling of water soaking his ash-covered hair felt like a blessing to him, the beautiful and gray sky stretching out forever.

The rain didn't stop.

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><p><strong>Yep, stuff happened. The story continues heavily in the next chapter, so expect some crazy stuff and the explaining of the 1.3 and stuff in the titles.<strong>

**Don't forget to rate/review!**


	5. 1 4 Out of Exile

**For those who pay attention to this story, I have decided to discontinue the Cache Enigma and resume The Diamond Compass after a several month hiatus. Spring Break is here and I need to get back into writing, so why not with something I actually take interest in? Either way, hopefully this chapter is as good as the previous four and can continue this story well.**

**I do not own Minecraft.**

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><p>The bleak sky felt awe inspiring yet depressing at the same time for the group, primarily Sabre_Mace. In such a strange, mysterious world to him, he is confronted by the drought of peace, rain, and overall happiness that he cannot understand. What could this rain mean? At the same time, does this signal a turning point in a war that was never occurring in the first place?<p>

The castle in Imperial City came into view as the group sighed and began crossing the slowly-flooding desert, sand seeping into their shoes. Lights from the town guided them and made them all feel content and safe. Sabre_Mace turned around and faced the back where both Bastil and Serenade were talking to one another in a hushed and close tone. He slightly smiled and looked towards Garfunkel, who was obviously exhausted from the past few days.  
>Garfunkel turned his head and faced Sabre_Mace, "Something bothering you, Master Mace?"<p>

"Where do we go from here, Garfunkel?"

The elderly archaeologist was shocked by such a profound question and the use of his proper name from Sabre_Mace. Coughing as to avoid an awkward silence in the midst of the downpour of rain, he looked up at the clouds as they continued to roll on by, showering the sands in water and silhouettes of the clouds themselves. "To be honest, lad, I'm not too sure. Why don't we rest and examine this ordeal further tomorrow? We could all use a break after such an extraordinary day."

Finally, the group stood in front of the town gate, entering into the Imperial City and looked down the path towards the castle. No one stood out in the rain and the metropolis seemed abandoned from such a point of view. Everyone stood in place for a moment, taking in the feeling of being home once again.

Garfunkel turned towards Bastil as he hugged his daughter for the hundredth time that day, "Your Honor, would you enjoy partaking in lunch this afternoon? I'm sure there are quite a few things we could go over while resting."

"A marvelous idea, Garfunkel; lead the way to your house." Bastil exclaimed as the group proceeded to the right wall of the Imperial City, where Garfunkel and SunRose lived. A small wooden house with enough room for all of them to converse about their plans for the next few days, it was all Garfunkel could ask for in the dying server of Anascentia.

Darkness filled the classroom as Burnley looked around, puzzled.

"Blast it, there goes the torches again."

Just as the mentor was about to place more torches upon his walls, a tall figure with messy white hair appeared in the doorway, blood trickling down his face and a large frown expressing disappointment, "Burnley, we must talk this instant."

"Oh yes, Master Exile, of course!" Burnley awkwardly obeyed and sat down at his desk. Exile approached and drew his sword, placing the blade on a nearby desk, "Are you alright? You look injured and distraught to an extent."  
>Exile coughed up blood and placed his right index finger over the gash emitting blood over his face and spoke in a deep and growling voice, "My time in this world is almost up, Burnley."<p>

"What did you just say?" Burnley shockingly exclaimed.

"However, when I go, this city must fall with me. I want that bitch Bastil dead and you reigning over his little friends. I want them all dead, specifically Sabre_Mace. If you fail me," Exile said as he began to exit the room, "well, I'll see you in the Nether."

Burnley sat in his chair, confused at this point. With a deep sigh, he opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a stack of papers, "Damn it, this isn't good. How am I supposed to replace Bastil? He's too good a moderator to replace. I'm just a college professor… What is he even talking about? Exile won't die, he can't!" Burnley shook his head in disbelief.

Thunder began booming from the sky as the group of heroes rested within the household of Garfunkel and SunRose. The house was made up of wooden walls with cobblestone floors all around except for the basement where the owners slept. On the upper floor was one large room with a carpet, couches and chairs in a circle, and a dining room table near the front door. Torches and paintings were placed all along the walls to give light and design to the small yet content household.

Bastil and Garfunkel sat at the table while everyone else was gather on the couches and chairs, talking and acting normal rather than stressed about their near-death experiences earlier. Food was placed on the coffee table in front of them while Garfunkel and Bastil sipped on wine while discussing plans.

"The real question that needs to be asked in this scenario is where else is there to go and why we would need to go there. If we run from here, we would need to go somewhere with a purpose." Garfunkel explained, finishing off his glass of red wine.

Bastil nodded in agreement, "Understood. In this case, you fellows would want to stay as far from the Redstone Rebellion base as possible. Going anywhere near there is suicide. Is there anywhere else worth checking out?"  
>As Garfunkel was about to reply, Sabre_Mace walked up to the table and looked at the old man, "Wait, we're leaving the city? Why?"<p>

"What other reason besides that our lives are at stake, Master Mace. We've been nearly killed three or four times and I don't want that number to rise anymore. I care deeply for you and SunRose; I don't want anything to happen to either of you." Garfunkel stood up and took his wine glass to the nearby kitchen.

"Well, could I make a few suggestions?" Sabre_Mace offered.

As Garfunkel returned to his seat, Bastil signaled for the young user to proceed.

"Back in the mine, two things struck me as important; the location of where the rest of the Dragon Prophecy is and where Octagon is." Sabre_Mace said, looking as Garfunkel recalled to what Exile said in their confrontation.

"Who is Octagon?" Bastil asked.

"He is a former pupil of mine. We got separated from him at the Ancient Pyramids and haven't seen him since. Exile stated that he was alive and well, but I'm genuinely afraid of whatever that could mean." Garfunkel said, turning to check up on the other three on the couches.

"And what is this Dragon Prophecy?" Bastil asked.

Sabre_Mace and Garfunkel eyed each other, wondering whether explaining the situation to the moderator was such a splendid idea, "It's… nothing you should worry about." Garfunkel warned.

"Why is that? I am the king of the Imperials, I demand to know!"

Sabre_Mace sighed and gave in, "A passage foreshadowing the apocalypse."

"What? How can we have another apocalypse? We already had one, another one isn't right!" Bastil questioned, confused by the logic of the end of the world.

"Yes, well, we found the majority of the passage at the Ancient Pyramids. However, Exile has explained that there is supposed to be more to it somewhere out there. Problem with finding both Octagon and the Dragon Prophecy is that we don't have a single clue about where they could be. We're practically at a dead end at this point." Sabre_Mace sighed.

Bastil rolled his eyes in frustration over the situation and looked to the ceiling, leaning back in his chair, "The only option we could ever have is confronting that Exile man and finding out the truth once and for all."

Silence filled the room as everyone stared at Bastil, eyes wide open.

Bastil looked back at everyone, "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"We aren't going anywhere near that man ever again," Serenade whimpered, terrified of ever having to see him again. After a few seconds of awkward silence, the groups went back to their discussions.

Bastil looked at Sabre_Mace, who was standing and looking at his diamond sword sternly, "Are you scared of him, Sabre_Mace?"

"I may be terrified of him, but in this situation and time," Sabre_Mace began, sheathing his sword, "that doesn't matter. I may be the only one who stands a chance against him. However, if the situation ever arises, then you guys must be far away as I don't want to risk anyone's life again."

"Good to see you maturing nicely, Master Mace." Garfunkel complimented. He looked out a window to his right, seeing as the rain continued to pour harshly, "Might as well try to get some rest. What time shall we meet up again tomorrow, Your Honor?"

Bastil stood up and walked over to the door, "Anytime is fine. And please, call me Bastil. Come on Serenade, it's time for us to make our leave." As the two exited from the vicinity, Garfunkel sighed and stood up, pushing in the chairs around the table.

SunRose yawned loudly, "Well, is it time for bed, Garfunkel?"  
>"I believe so. What are sleeping arrangements? There are only two beds in the lower level." Garfunkel questioned.<br>Sabre_Mace immediately jumped onto one of the couches and got into a sleeping position on his back, "Me and Roth can take the couches. You two go ahead and head downstairs."

"Or I could just head to my own house." Roth said, walking over to the door.

"Well, whatever works for the either of you is fine by me. Now, Madame SunRose, let's head downstairs." Garfunkel said as the pair ventured down the staircase and into the basement. At the same time, Roth exited and returned to his own home.

As the lights turned off and silence surrounded him, Sabre_Mace stared at the ceiling of the wooden home. The rain continued to pelt against the window, blurred lights shining onto his face. "Of all the times I needed it, I can't sleep." Sabre_Mace muttered to himself, tossing and turning until finally giving up and walking outside.

The back alleys of Imperial City weren't much of alleys as they were inferior streets to the main roads of the city. Those who lived amongst the alleys did their best to keep it presentable, but no one ever went back there due to the fact that most alleys are dirty and uninhabitable. Leaning against the wooden walls of the house, Sabre_Mace stared to the cloudy sky, the storm continuing on and paying for all the times that it was absent to the world. The gutters around the city were finally put to use as small puddles began filling up, giving those who were actually outside the thought that the first flood in years was on the rise.

"What a pretty sight," Sabre_Mace smiled, staring at the lightning as it flashed in the sky, "I'm glad that I had to get lost in this world. Image all the other places I could have ended up in." Just as he was about to turn around and walk back inside, he noticed a strange figure standing straight down the alley in front of him, near the main road to the castle. Donned in a black robe hiding his identity, the figure stood in place, completely still as if the whole world had just gone on pause.

"Sabre_Mace… I haven't forgotten you." The figure uttered in an incredibly deep and unrecognizable tone.

"Excuse me?" Sabre_Mace asked, stopping mid-step and staring sternly at the figure, "Is that you… Exile?"  
>The figure shook his head, "Exile shall be no more as foretold by the Dragon Prophecy. It is up to you to fulfill the prophecy and bring the end of Anascentia."<p>

The rain picked up.

"What are you trying to say? That I'm destined to bring the end of Anascentia? Sounds an awful lot like what Exile admitted before." Sabre_Mace said, reaching slowly for his diamond sword.

The figure stepped closer slightly, "Exile isn't the only one to understand the importance of the Dragon Prophecy and you. Everyone in the Redstone Rebellion understands how pivotal it is that you bring us to an end. We will ensure that this prophecy is fulfilled, but there is one rule in the guidelines that you and everyone in the rebellion must follow."

Sabre_Mace faced forward, completely drawing his weapon, "And what is this rule?"

The figure turned his back to Sabre_Mace, "You must not kill Obsidian666."

With a chuckle, Sabre_Mace ran forward and sliced his sword towards the figure only to miss as the figure leaped forward onto the main street of the city, "I'm sorry, but some rules are meant to ignored."

"Those who ignore the rules should not be allowed to be alive in the first place, or so the Rebellion has taught me as of recent." The figure said, turned back to Sabre_Mace before leaping onto a nearby building and disappearing amongst the high rises.

Standing in the middle of the road, sword in hand and rain covering the city, Sabre_Mace looked to the castle, a big frown on his face as the lights inside the castle shined brightly.

* * *

><p>Morning arrived in the world of Anascentia and the rain had yet to come to a stop. The officials had yet to signal for a flash flood warning as the gutters were working perfectly fine with the watership underground working just fine with the amount of water that it has had to redirect.<p>

Inside the room of the Moderator Bastil, the torches had died out and yet he still woke up rather early in such a dark room. A large bed rested in the middle of the 5x5 room lined completely with bookshelves. The door opened abruptly and Lady Serenade entered with a frown of disappointment upon her face.

With a confused expression on his face, Bastil sat up and looked at his daughter, "Darling… is something the matter? What time is it?"

"It's time for an answer." Serenade shouted, her voice echoing around the room.

Bastil stood up and walked over to his daughter, "What are you talking about? Is something wrong?"

Serenade nodded slowly, tears building up in her eyes, "Did you keep something from me? Are you somehow connected to the Redstone Rebellion?"

The two stood in place, staring at each other in confusion.

"Why would you ponder such thought? I've tried my best to protect my people from such insane and heartless fools as the rebels. Why would I be one of them or even remotely associated with them?" Bastil asked as he stepped past his daughter and into the cobblestone hallway that connected everyone's rooms.

"Because Burnley said so."

"What did you just say?" Bastil shouted angrily, turning to his daughter in frustration, "Why must Burnley ignore me like the bigot he is? Where is he?"

"In the throne room."

Without another word, Bastil stormed out of the lower levels of the castle and to the upper throne room, where Burnley rested in the throne with the Imperial Army at his side, weapons in hand and a look of disappointment on their face. Burnley merely laughed.

"Lord Bastil, I was wondering when you would wake up and smell the roses." Burnley remarked.

"What is the meaning of this, Burnley? Why are you spreading filthy lies about me? You are a mere professor, not one to give out orders like you have done recently. It is I who is disappointed in you. Now, remove yourself from my throne and return to your duties!" Bastil roared, Serenade crying behind him.

Burnley stood up, the guards readying their weapons, "Such harsh words from the king everyone supposedly loved. Your time as moderator is up; it is time for someone to step in and set things right."

"But why, Burnley; why must you act in such a fashion? This is not like you!" Bastil shouted back, stomping forward. The guards were quick upon him, grabbing hold of his arms and legs and keeping him in place as Burnley continued to laugh.

"It's you who has failed the Imperials. Looking past my questionable path was your first flaw, and now you decide to turn your back against your own home and daughter. No wonder your only love left you, Bastil. You are a foolish man and the most foolish can tell," Burnley insulted before taking his seat in the throne once again, "take him away. He shall never see the light of day again."

Letting the guards force him out of the room, Bastil looked back at Burnley before turning his attention to his daughter, who stood outside the door and merely watched as her own father was taken away.

* * *

><p>"Sabre_Mace, wake up and hurry!"<p>

The young user immediately sat up and looked outside as the rain continued to drown the city in water. Roth, SunRose and Garfunkel were all gathered around the table and looking sternly at him, a look of concern on their faces.

"Sabre_Mace, the Redstone Rebellion has infiltrated the Imperial army." SunRose explained.

"Damn, I guess that guy was from the Rebellion then." Sabre_Mace moaned before lying back down and putting a pillow on his face.

"Who are you talking about, Master Mace?" Garfunkel questioned.

"It's nothing to worry about. How did this all go down anyway?" Sabre_Mace stood up and walked over to the table, taking a seat and setting his sheathed diamond sword on the table.

"A breach in security was reported by one of Bastils guards. Apparently someone took the role of moderator from him and had him locked up. Rumor has it that this guy is from the Rebellion." SunRose said.

"Ah yes, because rumor is going to help us here. Come on, we need to get to the castle and settle things out. I don't want to waste anymore time when we need to get the rest of the Dragon Prophecy quickly." Sabre_Mace said and opened the front door. The rain continued to fall, getting some of the wood on the inside wet.

"Not possible. Entrance to the castle has been banned since earlier this morning. We'll have to either breach the already breached security of the castle or wait it out." Roth said.

Sabre_Mace laughed, "Well, you don't even have to ask which way I'm going. I'll either end up back or locked up. Perhaps dead, but don't count on it."

Garfunkel jumped up and ran after Sabre_Mace as he began walking towards the main road, "Master Mace, you cannot be serious about this! Think of all the danger you could put the entire city in!"

"Don't worry about me. Take care of SunRose and Roth." Sabre_Mace said, drawing his diamond sword and stepping onto the main road.

The gutters were finally becoming stopped up due to the large amount of rain water filling them up. The torches around the city were going out with the only light in the city left being from the castle. Just as Sabre_Mace set his eyes upon the center of government for the city, he spotted a hooded figure similar to the one from the night before except in red this time. The figure stood still and on the steps leading up to the castle.

"Good to see you again, Exile." Sabre_Mace exclaimed, pointing his sword in the figure's direction.

The figure laughed and put his hood down, the white hair of Exile's laying flat on his head, damp from the rain. Blood stains were stuck to his face as he smiled grimly, drawing his obsidian claymore, "Same to you. Are you here to kill me or fulfill the prophecy?"

"Is there a difference?"

"Perhaps not," Exile said as he slowly descended the steps, "but it depends on how much you despise me. Are you killing me for revenge or to fulfill the Dragon Prophecy?"

Sabre_Mace stepped forward as well, "I can't fulfill the prophecy until the passage is complete. Tell me, where is the rest of the Dragon Prophecy? And where is Octagon?"

Exile shook his head, "Neither is important. Kill me or don't, one of us shall fall here and there is no question about it."

"Then let it be." Sabre_Mace shouted back and dashed forward, sword raised high and ready to strike.

Without hesitation Exile dashed forward as well, swinging the obsidian claymore at Sabre_Mace wildly. The young user easily dodged by rolling to the right and prepared to slash at the rebel with his diamond sword. Blood dripped into the rain water that they stood on as Exile stumbled backwards, a gash in his lower stomach present.

"The prophecy… shall be complete." Exile laughed.

"If you won't tell me where the rest of the prophecy is or where Octagon is, at least explain to me why I'm at the center of it all." Sabre_Mace ordered, walking slowly up to the villain.

Exile stood up quickly and changed his claymore back to a simple sword, still obsidian, "The Dragon Prophecy shall explain it all. Now, fulfill the prophecy!" Exile shouted and slashed at Sabre_Mace. The young user felt the blade dig into his stomach and fell backwards onto the ground, the rain soaking his clothes.

With Exile hanging over him, his sword pointed at his neck, Sabre_Mace became all the more furious, "If you want me to kill you so much, why do you try to kill me?"

Silence emitted from both of the brawlers. The rain picked up.

Exile stepped back and looked to the sky, "It is mere instinct. How else am I to react? Letting you kill me allows the Dragon Prophecy to act as something of a certainty. Nothing is certain when the end has already come."

"I don't understand," Sabre_Mace said, standing up and gripping his diamond sword with intensity, "nothing about your goal makes sense. You want me to fulfill the prophecy and yet you want me dead. What do you truly want, Exile? What does the rebellion really want?"

Exile stared to the sky continually, not making eye contact with Sabre_Mace, "They want the world to end truthfully. No living through the technology we created. In reality, Sabre_Mace, you were one of the last living humans before the Tech Apocalypse began."

"What did you say?" Sabre_Mace stepped back in confusion.

"Obsidian666 knows what is best for Anascentia… That's why we were all sent here. He wants us to finally rest in peace and yet there's scum like you who are in the way of it all. I guess what I'm trying to say is that we want you to fulfill the prophecy and yet you will always look the other way. There is no agreement between the Imperials and the Redstone Rebellion and there never will be." Exile said. He looked down at Sabre_Mace, raising his sword in the hero's direction.

Sabre_Mace gripped his sword tighter, "You make no damn sense."

"Or maybe you can't comprehend everything." Exile laughed and hacked his sword forward, the sound of the two swords clashing echoing through the alleys of Imperial City.

* * *

><p>Garfunkel stepped inside the dimly lit foyer of the castle with haste, not bothering to turn around and catch sight of Exile and Sabre_Mace clashing blades. Leading SunRose and Roth inside, the trio made their way up the stairs and to the doors of the throne room, water dripping from their clothing.<p>

"Didn't Sabre_Mace tell us to stay out of this?" SunRose asked.

"Indeed he did. However, there is much more to do that he cannot handle. We must get to the bottom of this scandal and figure out the intentions of the rebellion." Garfunkel said and kicked open the doors to the throne room.  
>In front of him, leisurely seated in the throne, was Burnley, staring straight ahead with a slight smile on his face, "I was waiting for you to arrive, Garfunkel. With Sabre_Mace busy, I don't have to worry about being killed."<p>

Garfunkel marched into the room where the guards were absent, "What is the meaning of this, Burnley? Are you cooperating with Exile in this plan? Are you a Redstone Rebel?"

"I am yet I am not," Burnley laughed and stood up, "I merely do whatever Exile wishes for me to do. It is the fact that I believe what the Redstone Rebellion is after is true bliss. True happiness can only come after death and yet we survived it! We survived death and we miserable!"

Roth stepped in front of Garfunkel and SunRose and drew his sword, "Sir Burnley, I am going to have to order you to remove yourself from this castle immediately."

Burnley laughed and sat back down, "Roth, you were never one to be serious. Why is it all of a sudden that you take allegiance to your king when you have never cared in the first place?"

"Don't try to outsmart me, Burnley," Roth shouted, pointing his silver sword at Burnleys head, "I know what I want from life! We would have true bliss if it weren't for terrorists like the rebels!"

"Listen to yourself, rambling on about happiness when you have never truly known it." Burnley laughed again, this time not stopping.

Roth stepped back as the guards filed into the room, weapons in hand and ready to take prisoners.

* * *

><p>"Give up already!" Sabre_Mace shouted as the pair's swords clashed yet again, "If you want me to kill you, so be it!"<p>

"I know you won't and that is why I fight you, Sabre_Mace. I will guide you to the end of the world!" Exile cackled as he stepped back again. The rain continued even harder as the clouds became seemingly darker. The two only looked at each other, panting heavily before striking swords one last time. Finally, the obsidian sword of Exile's figure flew into the air and crashed to the ground behind Sabre_Mace. The villain, weaponless, fell to his knees with a grin, "Will you… fulfill Obsidian666's wish? My wish?"

Sabre_Mace looked sternly at Exile, confusion running through his head, "I guess this is what you were talking about when you said I looked the other way… Killing you will only bring the end closer."

"Kill me, damn it!" Exile shouted, his grin turning into a angry frown.

"I can't! I cannot fulfill this prophecy!" Sabre_Mace shouted.

"Then why do you seek the rest of the passage if it will serve no purpose to you?"

"Because then I can keep it from the greedy bastards that fill up the rebellion like you." Sabre_Mace said and walked past Exile and up the steps of the castle.

The hero did not bother to look behind him at the villain that he had just left alone in the streets of Imperial City. As he reached to open the door of the castle, he took one quick glance at Exile, lying in the flooding streets, finally giving into his wounds and passing on.

"Sabre_Mace, hurry!" Roth shouted from inside.

Sabre_Mace looked up at the Imperial knight on the balcony above. Without another word he sprinted up the stairs and entered into the throne room. He stopped in place as he noticed Garfunkel on the ground with an Imperial spear to his neck. Burnley sat in his throne, watching and laughing before catching glimpse of Sabre_Mace and his diamond sword in hand.

"What is going on here, Burnley?" Sabre_Mace asked.

"My word, you were rather late, Sabre_Mace." Burnley remarked.

"Cut the bullshit. I should have known that you would betray us when Exile admitted you to lying about amnesia back in the sewers. Why try to corrupt this government and city when you shouldn't even be a part of it?"

Sabre_Mace said and marched up to Burnley. The guards were about to stop him before becoming curious as to what he was trying to say.

Burnley sighed, "Yes, well… I must serve my masters in whatever way necessary. It just so happens that this city has become the center of concern for the rebellion. Exile will be most pleased about how I've done what he has asked me to do!"

"Exile is dead." Sabre_Mace said.

Everything went silent. The rain outside stopped.

Burnley froze, his eyes widening and the guards stepping back.

"You… lied to us, Burnley?" One guard asked.

The professor stood up and looked out the window at the now departing clouds in the sky, "I guess I should have known what to expect when I agreed to assist Exile. This is not a good day for the rebellion."

Roth stepped forth again, "Burnley, I am going to have to ask you to remove yourself from this castle at once."

"No, Roth, you are not one to give orders." A booming voice shouted from the doorway.

The group turned to see Bastil, donned in his proper king's wardrobe.

"Your Honor, are you alright?" Roth asked.

"I am. However, this one man has me worried for his future," Bastil said and walked up to Burnley as he stared out the nearby window, "Burnley, you are not banished from this castle."

Burnley sighed.

"You are banished from this city for eternity."

The professor nodded solemnly and turned to the king, "I accept the consequences of my actions. You will not have to worry about seeing me around anymore." Without another word, he made his way to the door of the throne room.

"Burnley, one last question." Sabre_Mace said.

Burnley turned around.

"Where is the rest of the Dragon Prophecy?"

The professor laughed loudly and faced forward again, "You're standing on top of it."

* * *

><p><strong>Yeah, this story arc will most likely be concluded in the next (short) chapter. I plan to have that out by the end of Spring Break. Enjoy your break as well.<strong>


	6. 1 5 Restored

**Here is the last chapter in the Exile story arc. Not sure how many more chapters I will be putting out by Spring Break's end since I enjoy writing this story. Anyway, I will keep updating as long as I see that people are enjoying The Diamond Compass. How long this story will end up being is a bit of a mystery to me despite having the majority of the story outlined, but expect it to be a long one.**

**Without anything else to say, here is RESTORED.**

* * *

><p>With dark clouds passing and a never-ending drought finally coming to an end, it seemed that things were beginning to look up for the Pack of Wanderers. Imperial City had become the bustling metropolis that it was always known to be with mobs and users living and moving about at once in peace. However, this didn't change the dark mysteries that were shrouding those involved in the Redstone Rebellion scandal.<p>

Inside the castle of Imperial City, where the Royal Family has lived since the beginning of time, the Pack of Wanderers sat down in the throne room with Moderator Bastil himself and was discussing their future yet again.  
>"Bastil, why couldn't Burnley wait around not too much longer? We needed to know more about what he meant by 'you're standing on top of it'." Roth complained as he laid down on the red carpet in the throne room. Everyone was either sitting or leaning against the bookshelves that made up the throne room wall.<p>

Bastil was seated in his throne, stroking his short white beard while thinking the situation over, "The castle is not too large, keep in mind. By process of elimination, we can easily narrow it down to somewhere towards the lower center of the castle."

"Like the archives?" Serenade suggested.

"Exactly; come along everyone, let's get to the bottom of this mystery!" Bastil shouted excitingly and walked to the door before stopping and counting the number of the people in the room, "Serenade, SunRose, Garfunkel… Roth and… Where is Sabre_Mace?"

Garfunkel looked up from the book he had pulled off the nearby bookshelf, "Master Mace is missing? I shall hunt him down. Take everyone and find the rest of the prophecy, Bastil."

Bastil nodded and opened the door, "Everyone, let's get going already!"

Everyone began to vent out of the room. They moved down the stairs in unison, the entire castle empty besides them. As they stopped in the lobby, Garfunkel detached himself from the group and opened up the front doors of the castle as the rest walked through a door built between the staircases.

The sunshine was bright upon the city. Garfunkel stretched his arms, smiling as he felt the warmth of the bright square in the sky. As he lowered his arms and sighed, he noticed a young user sitting upon the stone steps of the castle, hunched over and staring down the main street of the city.

The elderly archaeologist walked down the steps and sat next to the young user, staring in the same direction, "What's bothering you, Master Mace? It seems that you have been quite the quiet one ever since Bastil pushed out Burnley."

Sabre_Mace remained quiet.

"Master Mace, are you feeling alright?"

Sabre_Mace looked straight still, "Where did you come from, Garfunkel?"

"What do you mean by that?" Garfunkel asked.

"What was your life like before the Tech Apocalypse?"

* * *

><p>The air that felt fresh and refreshing suddenly disappeared once the group had entered into the dusty library known as the archives. Dust lines the shelves while various interns and secretary sat at their desks and worked hard at what they were assigned or born to do. Bastil walked up to a waxed wooden desk where an old lady was quietly writing in a red book.<p>

"Excuse me but I would like to know the history of this room." Bastil asked politely.

The old woman looked up, "Why? What is there to know about the archives; quite the head scratcher, eh? You want know about the history of the place that stores history."

Bastil looked around the room, which seemed to be 30x20 in size. Nothing seemed out of place with the secretaries and interns working hard in keeping track of Anascentia's past. "When was this room built when Imperial City was being built?"

"Why are you asking such ludicrous questions? Hold on a second," The old woman said and rolled to another part of her wrap-around desk, pulling out a large book full of blueprints and setting it down in front of the king, "you might find something in there."

Bastil sighed and flipped through the book, taking note of the countless diagrams that were of no relevance to him or anyone else anymore, "Okay, can you tell me one small thing?"

"What is that?"

"Is the Dragon Prophecy hidden somewhere in here?" Bastil questioned.

The old woman stared at him, shutting her eyes slightly in concentration before laughing hysterically, "Oh boy, no! The Dragon Prophecy hasn't been heard of since Solomon was in rule!"

"Wait, why didn't I know about the prophecy and yet you and my father did?" Bastil asked, grabbing the book and throwing it on the ground. The others looked on in confusion as to what their ruler was rambling on about this time.  
>The old woman gasped and stood up, "Your Honor, only the Royal Family and those who monitored the archives during Solomon's ruling knew about it! They have long been gone with me being the last to remain!"<p>

"But you'd think my own father would warn me about this since it would put me at the center of attention about the future of Anascentia!" Bastil yelled, his voice echoing around the archives and grabbing the attention of the interns and bookkeepers.

Everyone else looked on as the king stormed off in a fit of rage into the halls of the archives. A few moments later, without another word spoken, they followed behind at a distance. Soon all the bookkeepers and interns had turned their attention back to their work and paid no attention to the visitors.

* * *

><p>"My past?" Garfunkel asked, "Well, not much to say about it."<p>

"Can you remember anything from your life before Anascentia?" Sabre_Mace asked in a solemn tone.

Garfunkel sat there silent for a moment, "No, not really."

Sabre_Mace sighed heavily.

"Not many others do either."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, look at it this way," Garfunkel began, standing up and looking out to the Imperial City gate, "there are those of us who were put into Anascentia because of the Technological Apocalypse and then there are those who are a literal part of Anascentia."

Sabre_Mace nodded slightly, "Does that mean that Bastil isn't human since he is the father of Serenade in here?"

"I don't quite understand your logic, boy." Garfunkel questioned.

"The Royal Family is a part of Anascentia because of how they've been carried down through the ages. If Bastil had a father and his father had a father and so on, then they were born into Anascentia, no matter if the first father was from our world." Sabre_Mace explained.

The elderly archaeologist laughed, "Damn, I did not expect such knowledge from you, Master Mace. Bravo! Now, is that all that was bothering you?"

"It still is. All this time we could be working to save something that doesn't matter one bit. What makes it worse is that I'm put at the center of it all for no apparent reason. Is there anything about me that makes me different from everyone else?" Sabre_Mace asked, holding his arms out so that Garfunkel could have a good look at his identity.  
>Garfunkel shook his head, "No sir, you look rather normal."<p>

"Then what does the Redstone Rebellion want with me? Exile kept saying how I was destined to destroy them and then…" Sabre_Mace trailed off, remembering about the cloaked figure from the morning prior to the stand-off.

"Then what?"

"Then a man in a figure told me how I couldn't kill Obsidian666."

Garfunkel stared at him for a solid minute before going into further interrogation, "Cloaked figure? When was this encounter?"

"The morning after we returned from the mine. When you all went to sleep."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Garfunkel shouted.

Sabre_Mace faced the castle, "Because I didn't want anyone involved."

"Why, Master Mace? What's the point in not having anyone involved when that puts you in all the more danger?" Garfunkel questioned whole-heartedly, confused as to Sabre_Mace's motives.

Sabre_Mace turned and faced the archaeologist, "I feel like I don't know any of you guys still. I feel foreign to this world and the fact that I'm at the center of attention for these rebels makes it even worse for me. They don't want you, they want me and I'm fine with that. I don't want anyone that doesn't deserve this to get hurt. You can understand that, can't you?"

The two looked at each other as the wind blew softly around the steps.

"I understand, Master Mace. I understand completely." Garfunkel said.

* * *

><p>The group was about to give up right there when they somehow found their way back to the entrance of the archives. SunRose took a seat at a nearby table and looked around, still not noticing anything that they could have missed the first time around, "Maybe Burnley was just messing around when he said that?"<p>

"I could tell by the look in his eyes that he meant it." Bastil said, taking a seat on a bench beside his daughter.  
>Roth leaned against a bookshelf, "Well, maybe we're in the wrong room still."<p>

"What other rooms could there be to look in, Roth?" Bastil asked.

Roth shrugged and picked up the book of blueprints from the floor, flipping through the pages rapidly.

SunRose sighed, "How are we going to break the news to Sabre_Mace that we couldn't find it?"

"What do you mean by that? Darling, we all need to find it. We cannot afford to have our world lost to the vile creatures inside the Redstone Rebellion." Bastil said before noticing Roth change his facial expression from bored to intrigue.

The servant took out a blueprint and folded it out completely, "I think we may have found out answer, Your Honor." He handed the blueprint to the king and pointed to a small ovular room that was supposedly located directly up from the archives.

"A room that was left in during the building of the castle that is now blocked off? Perfect," Bastil laughed and stood up, caressing his daughters hand in his, "lead the way, Roth."

"Aye aye, sir!" Roth excitingly shouted, saluting his king and began running enthusiastically through the halls of the archives.

Bastil smiled at his daughter and SunRose, "Let's go take a look at this, shall we?"

"Wait for us, Your Honor!" Garfunkel shouted as he entered into the archives, Sabre_Mace beside him with the look of confidence upon his face.

"Ah, I see you have found our young hero." Bastil said.

Sabre_Mace slightly blushed.

"Never seen a boy blush before." Serenade joked.

"Now I have something to tell all my friends." SunRose chuckled.

"Can we get a move on, ladies?" Bastil asked. The two nodded and the group proceeded to find wherever Roth had wandered off to.

* * *

><p>In less than five minutes the group had gathered together in front of a larger-than-the-rest bookshelf filled with volumes documenting the history of the Imperials on the lower level in the back.<p>

"How did we not see this?" Bastil asked everyone.

Everyone shrugged.

"Now how we going to open this thing up?" Sabre_Mace asked, looking for any clues hidden around on the bookshelf. All the books were light yellow with the volume numbers of each book written in roman numerals on the bottom of the spine.

Garfunkel walked up to the shelf and looked at the bottom right corner of the shelf, "Isn't Volume 80 designated to archiving the next three years to come?"

"I believe so." Bastil concurred.

Garfunkel nodded and proceeded to pull the last book on the shelf from its spot. All the books next to it then fell over onto their right side, a slight rumble following afterwards. All of a sudden, the bookshelf caved in and slid into a slit in the ground, revealing a dark passageway heading deeper into the castle.

"Why have a book archiving what hasn't happened yet?" Garfunkel questioned before entering into the hallway. Everyone followed, not bothering to question Garfunkel's knowledge.

* * *

><p>"Here it is, ladies and gentlemen." Bastil said as they entered into the ovular room with a short podium in the center underneath a bright light. Paintings of the first five moderators of Imperial City were hung around the marble walls. On the podium in the center, where all the kings' eyes had met, was a piece of paper. Bastil calmly walked up to the podium and grabbed it off of its resting place, holding it high in the air, "I present to you the last of the Dragon Prophecy!"<p>

"Read the damn thing." Sabre_Mace ordered, arms crossed and looking rather stern.

"Right, let's see…" Bastil began, looking through the passage before beginning to read, "it reads, 'Thy light thy sky but thou shall not feel the ground of such proud lands. Neither compass nor no hero stands tall to thy noble horsemen and thy father of truth. Thy reality and comprehension stand at rest with the father of truth and the House of the Holy Sun. Thy dragon shall relieve thou of hardships for eternity and watch as thy noble horsemen fall by thy father of truth remain proud. From dawn 'til dusk shall The Diamond Compass guides thee to the otherworld of loss and unforgiving torture. All shall be met in the end of thy Dragon Prophecy." Bastil finished, looking up to the others standing around in shock.

SunRose turned to Sabre_Mace, who was holding his diamond sword's handle tight, "Do you understand any of that? I can't quite comprehend what he just said."

"The Father of Truth mentioned is Obsidian666 and Exile and that girl from the Ancient Tombs were two of the Four Noble Horsemen. What is this otherworld it spoke of though?" Sabre_Mace explained, looking at everyone for answers.

Finally, Bastil began shaking uncontrollably in fear, "The otherworld… Perhaps it was referring to the Nether."  
>"Quite the possibility, sadly. Now, if we connect things from the first passage to the second passage of the Dragon Prophecy," Garfunkel began, grabbing the second passage and looking at both parts side by side, "we can see that there is some correlation with the sky. What could it be referring to about the glass tower in the sun?"<p>

"That would be the College of the Rising in Babylon!" Serenade said, "I went there for two years before returning to Imperial City. Part of the college is made of glass so that sunlight could shine onto the sundial in the middle of the city."

"And this city is in the sky?" Sabre_Mace asked.

"One of the only to ever go into the sky, the other being long gone. I'm sure someone there is somehow connected to the Dragon Prophecy like you, Sabre_Mace!" Serenade suggested.

Everyone whole heartedly agreed.

"Now, before we get ahead of ourselves, there is one last thing to discuss about this prophecy." Garfunkel stopped everyone as they began to head for the door.

"What is it? We need to head to Babylon, we know that already!" Sabre_Mace impatiently replied.

Garfunkel looked back to the prophecy, "What is this Diamond Compass that the prophecy talks about briefly?"

Everyone stood there, dumbfounded.

"I'm sure this person at the college knows something about it as well." Sabre_Mace assured and turned around with the rest of the group. Garfunkel sighed and followed behind as everyone made their way to the front of the group, the sun setting upon the server of Anascentia.

Sabre_Mace turned to Serenade, "So, who could this person be? You're the only person here who has anything to tell about Babylon."

"There is a philosopher at the college named Lazarus. He is one of the most well-known people in the city, so it is wise to ask him about everything, including this Diamond Compass. If head to the Balloon Depot southeast from here tomorrow we can make it to the city by tomorrow night." Serenade explained.

"Well, I guess this is where we split up then," Garfunkel began, turning to Bastil, Roth and Serenade, "It's been good knowing all three of you and… I'm still sorry about Wheat."

Bastil sighed and shook Garfunkel's hand, "Don't worry about it. And, about this little good-bye… I've decided to send these two with you." He said and set his hands on Roth's and Serenade's shoulders. They both looked at him in shock.

Sabre_Mace rolled his eyes, "I don't want anyone involved in this; how many times do I have to tell everyone this?"

"Come on, Sabre_Mace, you'll need Serenade to show you around Babylon!" Bastil assured.

"And what about Roth?" SunRose asked.

Everyone looked at Roth, who was awaiting any compliment Bastil would give him.

"Just get him out of my sight." Bastil chuckled and patted the servant on his shoulder. Everyone else began laughing except Roth, who was embarrassed.

Sabre_Mace nodded and looked to the gate of Imperial City, "Well, if you're fine with being alone like this then I hope the best for you, king. Is there anything we can do for you before we depart?"

"Just assure me that our world is saved in the end." Bastil said.

Everyone nodded and began descending the steps, taking their time as Serenade hugged her father emotionally. The sun began to take its seat behind the horizon of the fading server, danger lurking outside the boundaries of the civilizations strewn about; the dangers that only such people in the Redstone Rebellion could think of.

The danger that Sabre_Mace was damn well ready for.

* * *

><p><strong>Yeah, the story is a bit confusing at points but all will be explained in due time, specifically the next story arc. Expect a lot.<strong>


	7. 1 6 People of the Above

**Here we are, Chapter 7 or something!**

**Not much to say other than juggling between two stories is a pain.**

**Enjoy and review.**

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><p>Puffy clouds departed after several days without sunlight, showing off the clear blue sky. The sun shone brightly across the desert that was finally dry like it should always be. Footprints remained in the sand as a small group of wandering users crossed the dunes of the desert carefully, the sun beating on their neck.<p>

"Goddamn this heat. We're all going to die of heatstroke before we even make it half way to the depot. How far is it, Serenade?" Sabre_Mace complained, falling slightly behind the other four. He took his sheathed diamond sword and began carrying it by hand instead of letting it dangle on his side, its heated blade tapping against his leg.

Serenade placed her fingers over her eyebrows to block out the sand and look ahead, "Dunno. I sort of lost track."

The entire group groaned.

"Blimey, we could be going in a completely different direction," Garfunkel said, wiping the sweat off his forehead and taking off his glasses, "shall we head back and rest before trying at this once more?"

"We ain't going back. Not when these Redstone Rebels are proving to be a much bigger threat than expect." Sabre_Mace said and marched on forward, ahead of everyone else.

Just as the group was slowing down and preparing to turn around, a large cloud of sand caught their attention. It spread quickly and seemed to be following a travelling object like a snake. The sand cloud suddenly began coming in the direction of the Pack of Wanderers, sending a wave of panic through everyone's body.

SunRose turned around and began running before tripping on her shaking feet and falling onto her knees, "Run, guys! Save yourselves!"

"Get up, SunRose. They're stopping." Sabre_Mace said.

SunRose, confused, stood up and looked at the parting sand clouds. Where the sand clouds were was a large red vehicle, hovering above the sand with five passengers on board, laughing hysterically.

"Shoulda seen the look on yer faces!" The man in front with shaved red hair and a brown suit on shouted, slapping his hand on the front panel of the vehicle.

The Pack of Wanderers rolled their eyes and began walking away.

Another guy on the vehicle, wearing a sailor outfit with long, brown hair, stepped to the front, "Hey, wait up! This jackass wasn't laughing at you, he was laughing with you!"

The man in the brown suit pushed the sailor off the vehicle and onto the sand, "Shut it Frank, I told you back at Young Port that you weren't to talk back to me again."

"I wasn't talking back to you, Phil; I was just trying to apologize to these people for your incredible stupidity!" Frank shouted, climbing back onto the vehicle only to be pushed off again by Phil.

Sabre_Mace sighed as he watched Frank struggle to get back on, "Hey, let the man on. He was just being polite unlike you."

Phil took his attention off Frank, "Who are you to say anything?"

"We are the Pack of Wanderers, famed archaeologists across the land!" Roth shouted proudly.

Garfunkel patted Roth on the shoulder, "Actually, only SunRose and I are archaeologists. You're just a knight and I don't even know what Sabre_Mace is. Bloody, I don't think he even knows what he is."

"Don't think it matters, personally." Sabre_Mace pointed out.

Phil scratched his head, "Pack of Wanderers? What a bunch of lies. We are the Pack of Wanderers! I am Phil, captain of the Steaming Whale!"

"Steaming Whale? You couldn't come up with a better name than Steaming Whale?" Sabre_Mace asked.

"If it's steaming, wouldn't they want it fixed then?" Roth asked.

"Shut it! It's working fine, it's just a goddamn name!" Phil shouted angrily.

Frank sighed as he finally got onto the Steaming Whale, "I am Frank, I merely make sure these guys don't kill themselves."

A girl in the back with short purple hair and in a swimsuit stepped up holding knives in both hands, "I'm Madeline and I like to hunt whatever is in our way!"

The other two guys continued on the conversation they were having.

Phil wacked one of the men on the side of the hide, "Properly introduce yourself to these imposters so that we can kick their asses!"

"Excuse me, sir?" Garfunkel reacted.

Frank kicked Phil, "We're not hurting anybody! Will you quit this tough guy business?"

The two started fist fighting each other with almost all their punches completely missing.

Madeline stepped forward and pushed Frank off the vehicle, "Cut it out, Frank. You're embarrassing yourself again. Why don't you just sit in the back and let us do the negotiating?"

"We ain't negotiating nothin'! These idiots call themselves the Pack of Wanderers when we are the Pack of Wanderers!" Phil said, pushing Madeline back slightly.

SunRose walked over to where Frank lay in the sand and helped him up.

"Look, Phil or whatever your name is," Sabre_Mace said, unsheathing his sword, "can you give us a lift to the Balloon Depot and stop with this whole identity crisis thing? I don't want a whole chapter devoted to this nonsense."

"Oh, and what are you gonna do 'bout it?" Phil threatened, taking out a shotgun.

"A shotgun? Haven't seen one of those before." Garfunkel commented.

Sabre_Mace looked at Phil intently, "Yeah, I don't think anyone else has either. Tell me, Phil, where did you get that weapon?"

"This?" Phil asked, jumping onto the sand and pointing the barrel directly at Sabre_Mace, "Just my personal supplier."

Without fear, Sabre_Mace ducked and dug the tip of his diamond sword into Phil's side. He dropped the shotgun and let out a painful, high pitched screech as he began crying of pain. "What the hell did you do that for?"

"You mocked us, insulted us and are a bunch of no good Redstone Rebels."

Both crews froze.

Phil fell onto his side as blood covered the sand underneath him, "How did you know?"

"It is known that the rebels can make obsidian weaponry by hacking. If shotguns are inaccessible in Anascentia, how could you possess one?" Sabre_Mace said, examining the weapon.

Garfunkel began clapping, "Bravo, Sabre_Mace! You caught the bad guys!"

"Listen, if all of you want to live then I suggest dropping this whole gig of pretending to be the Pack of Wanderers and giving us a lift to the Balloon Depot. If you are kind to us then maybe we'll forget this ever happened, alright?" Sabre_Mace said as he climbed aboard the Steaming Whale, holding his sword out in front in defense.

Frank looked up at Madeline, "Sound fair, Maddy?"

"Shut it, Frank. I ain't givin' up the Steaming Whale to this no good. Get up here and help me take him out!" She shouted and dashed at Sabre_Mace. As she was only a few inches from him, she readied both her knives and prepared to dig them right into the hero's chest. However, he spun out of the way and tripped her with his leg, sending her over the edge of the vehicle. She landed right in front of Roth, who set his right foot on her back to keep her down.

Sabre_Mace looked to the other two nameless people onboard as they jumped over the edge and began running away screaming, "Well, I guess we have a free vehicle now, guys."

"You can't steal from us! That's a crime!" Madeline cried.

"She's right, Sabre_Mace. That's grand theft auto." Garfunkel said.

Frank climbed onboard and stood before Sabre_Mace, "Well, would it be a crime if I humbly gave it to you?"

Sabre_Mace smiled, "Yeah, would it, Garfunkel?"

Garfunkel looked at the other two rebels who were on the ground, "I… I don't know. I don't care really as long as I don't get sunburn from this. Frank, is it truly alright with you if we take this?"

Frank nodded, "I couldn't care less about this hunk of garbage. I was living in Young Port peacefully when these two morons pulled up in this floating piece of metal and forced me onboard. It's about time I got free of 'em."

"You were kidnapped?" SunRose was shocked.

"I guess you could say. But that's all over now! Shall we head to the Balloon Depot?" Frank asked.

Garfunkel, Roth, SunRose and Serenade got onboard and looked at Frank, "What do you mean 'we'? You're a Redstone Rebel." Serenade said, placing her hand on her hips.

"Yeah, well…" Frank shrugged, looking back to Phil and Madeline on the ground.

Sabre_Mace laughed, "Don't worry about it guys. He seems reasonable enough to tag along to the Depot. Wouldn't you want to be getting back to Young Port, though?"

"It's too far away from here and the Balloon Depot. If I were to ever return there then it would have to be in better travelling conditions. The Balloon Depot is fine for now. The ride to Babylon is cheap enough for me to follow through on." Frank said and began starting up the Steaming Whale.

"Babylon, you say? Why, that's where we're heading!" Garfunkel exclaimed.

"Truly? How convenient." Frank said, pulling the vehicle back slightly and turning around in a 180. In a matter of minutes the Pack of Wanderers were charging off across the desert, faster than they ever expected.

* * *

><p>The Balloon Depot was situated on a large rock on the outskirts of the desert. The front gate was surrounded by gravel while the structure itself was wooden planks with a large field on top of the rock where four balloons were situated to transport people to and from Babylon.<p>

As the Steaming Whale pulled up to the front, the group piled out and stood in front of the doors to the main office. Sabre_Mace, leading the group, stopped and turned to Frank, "If you are going to Babylon as well, would you be willing to help us then?"

"Help? With what?" Frank asked, moving past Sabre_Mace and opening the door for everyone to enter. The air conditioned inside felt like heaven after the endless heat that all of them had to endure. The group piled in and Garfunkel went to the front of the room to purchase their tickets to Babylon.

The rest of the group took their seats in a lounge in the bottom right corner of the room. Sabre_Mace sat across from Frank, next to SunRose while Roth left the group to head for the bathroom. "It's sort of a long story, but basically we are attempting to learn the truth behind a thing called The Dragon Prophecy. Since you're a Redstone fugitive I'm guessing you already know about it."

"I would have to say that I don't have a clue what you're talking about. What is the Dragon Prophecy?" Frank asked, intrigued.

Sabre_Mace and SunRose looked at each other and then back at Frank, "How do you not know about it? That's what the Redstone Rebellion is trying to fulfill and yet you don't know about it? What kind of gig is Obsidian666 running there?"

"A poor one, I must say. I don't know if it was because I was forced into it back in Young Port or if he just refuses to tell us but I don't know what this prophecy is. Phil and Madeline never spoke of it either so they probably don't know either." Frank said as Garfunkel returned with tickets.

"I've got the tickets, Master-"

"Not now, Garfunkel. Frank, the Dragon Prophecy is life threatening and could very well be the cause of the next apocalypse if we don't prevent it. We're heading to Babylon to determine the truth about its contents and we will need all the help we can get in preventing this. While the thought of risking your life for such a mysterious cause may sound a bit odd, please try to keep up if you are willing to help. This may bring the end of the Redstone Rebellion, so I hope you're okay with that." Sabre_Mace explained as they all took their tickets and proceeded to their launch pad.

Frank chuckled slightly at Sabre_Mace's ignorance, "Didn't I just tell you I was forced into the Redstone Rebellion? I don't care if they fall or not. Hell, I'd prefer if you were to crush them once and for all. Serves them right for terrorizing everyone."

"Well, I'm glad we're all on the same page." Sabre_Mace sighed as everyone piled into the hot air balloon. A man walked out from the wooden building and got on after everyone, shutting the door and inflating the balloon enough that it began to float. Soon, the entire device was off the ground and sailing for the sky.

* * *

><p>About half an hour later the clouds appeared below the balloon. Everyone except Serenade marveled at the sight and saw the sun still in the horizon. They turned their attention to the conductor, who pulled a lever and slowed down the levitation of the balloon. Everyone piled to the front of the balloon as the balloon finally landed on a large, grassy field on the edge of a massive, floating island. As they left the balloon, they were astonished by a massive metropolis built out of cobblestone with an incredible mountain in the far back, reaching very high into the sky.<p>

This was Babylon.


	8. 1 7 Motivation

**Wow, I am surprised by the amount of reviews that my last chapter got. Didn't expect from something that sort of seemed like filler, but I'm not complaining. Thanks everyone for your reviews as I deeply appreciate it!**

**As far as the story goes, this is mainly just a set-up for the oncoming Babylon story arc which is going to be a big one. Not too many things in here are serious but expect much more complex story lines in this arc soon.**

**So, enjoy this chapter and don't forget the review if you enjoy what you have read!**

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><p>The feeling of solid, stone ground underneath everyone's feet was a massive relief. Slowly they stepped off the launch pad for the Balloon Depot and took in the impeccable sights of what was around them. This wasn't some ancient civilization that was there for the hell of it; this was Babylon, the one city that everyone wants to be in.<br>Serenade took lead in the group as everyone finally entered into the main streets of town, looking at all three possible directions as to where to go. There were hundreds of people walking along the sidewalk or getting pulled in mine carts by horses. This size of population stunned Garfunkel and SunRose especially as they had never been in any other city besides Imperial City. "Alright everyone, if you look up and to your right you should see the College of the Rising. That is where we're heading." Serenade stated, pointing to the sky where a massive glass tower directed the sunlight towards the center of town.

"Alright, what're we waiting for?" Sabre_Mace said, smirking while wandering off towards the tower. The crowds of people that were in the direction he was going were growing faster and faster, stopping the young user in his tracks completely.

"Master Mace, perhaps it would be better if we let Lady Serenade lead the way. She knows this city better than all of us combined." Garfunkel suggested. Sabre_Mace shrugged his shoulders and turned back to the group who were heading the complete opposite direction.

The buildings alongside this particular road, called Georgia Path, were mostly houses as the majority of shops and inns were towards the center of the city. The sundial that was a staple of the ancient city was commonly used by the shop owners as to determine the time since it was an ancient law that banned the use of clocks within stores. Why this law is still in effect is unknown to everyone but they continue to follow through by the rules of their ancestors.

Speaking of which, the Pack of Wanderers soon were at the center square of the city where a massive gold sundial was built into the ground. All sorts of users gathered around to exchange items and set up shops. "Babylon is probably the best place to start up a business if that's the kind of thing you dig." Serenade lectured.

"It's probably the best place for just about anything. Is there any downfall to this city? Everyone looks so happy!" Roth asked, looking at how there were two pubs across the square from each other, obvious competitors.

"Well, Aquarius Mountain in the back isn't what it used to be," Serenade stopped and pointed to the massive mountain that was situated far behind the city, "it used to be where we got all of our minerals and ore before it was shut down because we found Redstone."

Frank took a good look at the mountain, noticing its snowy peak and cone-like structure, "What's so bad about that?"

Everyone looked at the former Redstone Rebel.

"It is common knowledge that if one were to ever discover Redstone then it would be wise to abandon all operations in said mine. After all, where there is Redstone… there are rebels." Serenade gulped nervously.

"That probably explains what happened back in that other mine!" Sabre_Mace began to understand the impact that Redstone has had on Anascentia ever since the Redstone Rebellion came into power.

Garfunkel looked back at the glass tower of the College of the Rising. It was an octagonal tower that stood almost at the same height as Aquarius Mountain, which was rather incredible. "I suggest we quit wasting time and hurry to this Professor Lazarus before we miss him." Garfunkel pointed out.

"Lazarus works pretty late so I don't think we would miss him. However, I guess it is time to stop site seeing, eh?" Serenade said and began leading them all down a couple more streets before coming to the college. It was a large facility made of brick in the lower half and smooth stone at the higher altitudes. The glass tower of the college cast a slight shadow over the front courtyard of the college, making it a signature spot for shade in the hotter days of the year. The academy was located on a spot on the very edge of the entire floating landmass. If one were to see the College of the Rising from the ground, they would probably think it was floating by itself, or at least tipping over.

Roth smiled at the grand size of the entire school, "This place is huge! How long did it take to have it built? I would guess years or decades or something."

"A couple weeks, to be honest. I don't know what you're thinking of but with structures like these we take passion on what goes on the inside rather than what holds it up." Serenade said, opening up the front doors and walking inside to the comfortable and cozy lobby. It was completely absent of people besides one person, sleeping with notes lying all over the couch he was sitting on.

Everyone stared at the guy before looking at Serenade.

"Are all students like this, Serenade?" Sabre_Mace asked.

"Sort of, but mostly just the people who got in here by luck. That doesn't matter guys, we have to find Lazarus!" Serenade complained and turned to a nearby staircase, "He should be on the third floor. Follow me, everyone!"

As soon as she planted her right foot on the first step everyone else rushed past her, leaving her behind completely.

The royal user sighed and began sluggishly moving up the stairs, "Yeah, so much for needing me here."

"Why would you say that?" Frank said, startling her from behind.

Serenade jumped and nearly tripped down the stairs. The two began making their way up the flights of steps together. "Well, I guess it's the fact that I don't actually need to be here. Bastil sent me here for no reason other than that I can be… Actually, I have no idea why I was sent with them other than the fact that I have been to Babylon before!"

"You have?" Frank asked.

"I studied here years ago under this guy named Professor Lazarus. I think he might be able to decipher the rest of this Dragon Prophecy that Sabre_Mace is all worked up over." Serenade explained as they reached the third level hallway and saw the rest of the group packed outside in the hall. She grabbed Frank by the arm and rushed over to them, "What's going on here?"

SunRose turned around from peaking through the door, "Lazarus is in the middle of class. Why did you take us here at such a bad time?"

"I'm… sorry…" Serenade stumbled a bit.

Frank patted her on the shoulder, "Don't worry, you didn't know or at least forgot. Come on, we can come back another time."

Sabre_Mace groaned loudly, catching the attention of the class inside, "But we came here for a very important reason! We can't just put this off because of some damn class! Hell, I bet it's review. All they're doing is reviewing in there, I bet."

"But it's September, Master Mace. Why would they review this early in the year?" Garfunkel questioned.

The door behind them flew open, startling all of them at once. Lazarus, a tall, middle aged man with black hair and green eyes stepped out, his white suit looking rather handsome, "We'll have to review if you six keep distracting my students. What is it?"

Serenade was about to introduce everybody before Sabre_Mace took full control, "I need your help deciphering an apocalyptic omen. Can you help me?"

"Well, maybe after-" Lazarus began.

"Oh, you can?" Sabre_Mace continued.

"That's not exactly what I said but-"

"That's great, let's get started." Sabre_Mace interrupted and barged right into the classroom. He turned on the lights and set down the Dragon Prophecy readings on Lazarus' desk while all the students in the class simply sat in amusement.

The rest of the Pack of Wanderers walked in, Garfunkel feeling rather uncomfortable seeing all these younger people eyeing him with weird looks, "They're staring at me, Master Mace. Do something!"

"Shut it, old man," Sabre_Mace said to the class' laughter, "Lazarus, look over these and tell me what you think."

Lazarus sighed and sat at his desk, "I was in the middle of class before you asshats barged in! What is the matter with you?"

Serenade, sick of being ignored, pushed past everyone and slammed her palms on her former teacher's desk, "Hi, Mr. Lazarus!"

The teacher only looked at her in confusion, "Serenade? Lady Serenade, is that you?" He said, a smile spreading across his face. He stood back up and the two hugged while everyone else merely looked on in absolute confusion.  
>Sabre_Mace tapped Lazarus on the shoulder, "Professor, the Dragon Prophecy, please."<p>

"Oh, alright. Now, what is this again?" Lazarus asked, taking a look at the words of the prophecy written out on the pieces of paper.

The class cheered, "Yeah! No work!"

"You all must do a four page biography about at least one of the rumored Endersend creatures. It'll be due by the end of the week." Lazarus shouted without taking his eyes off the papers.

The class groaned.

Sabre_Mace turned to Garfunkel, "Endersend? What's that?"

"Mythical creatures that live all around Anascentia's holiest locations. They are monsters based off the bloody Enderman tribes from long ago. No one knows too much about them as they have never reportedly been seen by anyone. It's nothing to worry about, Master Mace. Keep in mind what matters at the moment." Garfunkel said and turned Sabre_Mace's head to Lazarus as he began highlighting various lines of text of the Dragon Prophecy.

"What are you doing? That's an ancient artifact that we need that you're soiling!" Sabre_Mace shouted furiously. A few of girls in the class giggled.

Lazarus didn't look up, "Calm down, I'm merely highlighting things so it'll be easier to analyze. Are you guys staying overnight?"

Sabre_Mace looked to Garfunkel who looked to Roth who looked to SunRose who looked to Frank who, in turn, looked to Serenade. The daughter of the moderator sighed, "Yes… we are."

"Very well. Let me take a good look at this overnight and I'll have my thoughts gathered in the morning," Lazarus said, slipping the Dragon Prophecy papers into a folder and turning to his class, "class is dismissed early but don't forget about your biographies!"

The class ran out without another thought.

Serenade nodded, "How are you supposed to do a biography on a mythical creature that no one knows much about?"

"Who honestly gives a damn? None of them will do it anyway. Now, be gone; I need my peace to concentrate." Lazarus said and ordered them out of the room.

The group exited the classroom and met out in the hallway. Sabre_Mace closed the door behind him and looked at everyone, "Now what? We have to wait until tomorrow to save the world. Never thought I'd say that."

"Don't worry, Sabre_Mace. Lazarus needs his time in order to make his conclusions on things. Would you rather him get it done now with weak thoughts or wait until tomorrow and have everything figured out?" Serenade said.

Everyone looked at Sabre_Mace, who just leaned against the wall, cracking his knuckles, "Yeah, no biggie. Gives us time to explore the city a bit more, I guess."

"Fantastic!" Garfunkel shouted excitedly, "To the pub!"

Roth and Frank slapped Garfunkel on the back, "Now you're talking!"

Serenade, SunRose and Sabre_Mace stood still while the trio left the building, howling with laughter right before getting drunk. "What kind of shops are in Babylon?" SunRose asked Serenade.

"Let me show you! There are florists all over the place and each one is special in their own way!" Serenade said and began dragging SunRose to the stairs before turning back to Sabre_Mace, "Are you coming, Sabre_Mace?"

Sabre_Mace shook his head, "Nah, don't worry about me."

"Suit yourself!" The two girls said in unison before skipping off.

The young user looked out the nearby window at the sun as it began to set into evening, "I don't think I'm going to like this city very much." He mumbled to himself and left like all the others.

* * *

><p>The two pubs that were mentioned earlier were very similar but were at a war with each other to become the more successful bar in Babylon. Garfunkel, Roth and Frank all looked at the two pubs, noticing the only real differences being the signs on the front. One of them read "SMOKEHOUSE BOLDING BREW" while the other read "HOME SKY ALE HOUSE".<p>

"What kind of names are these?" Frank questioned.

Garfunkel and Roth shrugged.

"Which one are we going to? I've been sober for way too long." Roth proclaimed.

"How about Smokehouse? Sounds a bit more professional." Garfunkel suggested, beginning to step towards the Smokehouse Bolding Brew pub.

Frank grabbed onto Garfunkel's arm and pulled him back, "More professional? Since when? Home Sky Ale House actually sounds like a pub! Smokehouse Bolding Brew? Probably just a rodeo in there or something."

"You know, Master Frank, we could always just go back to the time when you were a Redstone Rebel and we almost abandoned you." Garfunkel threatened.

Roth stepped between the two, "Hey guys, we're here to drink and have a good time! How about we try the Home Sky Ale House first and then we try Smokehouse some other time, alright?"

"Sounds good to me!" Frank said and rushed into the pub. Garfunkel and Roth followed in, taking their precious time.

Just as the trio of adults left the square, two rather young ladies began descending the nearby steps that led to a garden. One wearing a pink dress and the other wearing a blue dress. Everyone eyed them but quickly turned back to their business when they saw the women staring back.

"Serenade, this thing doesn't fit." SunRose complained, trying to adjust the pink dress.

"You'll be fine. You liked the garden, right?" Serenade asked.

SunRose nodded.

"Good! Now, how about we go buy some flowers for your new dress!" Serenade suggested, pushing SunRose across the square and down the street to a street vendor.

This particular vendor was a middle aged man with a serious tan. He wore black sunglasses and a red suit, "Pick from your favorite flowers, all of them the same price! Buy two get one free!" He shouted out his offer in SunRose's and Serenade's ears.

The two rubbed their ears, ridding them of the ringing, "What flowers really match with pink?" SunRose asked the vendor.

"Why, all of them! These flowers can make a different impression on whoever lays their eyes on your stunning dress; it's all up to you what that impression will be." The vendor said, picking up a Lavender flower, "I am rather fond of the Lavender but that is just me."

Serenade picked up two roses, "How about these?"

The vendor scratched his neck nervously, putting the lavender away, "I guess that works too. The red might blend in with the dress, though. Why are you two pretty ladies wearing dresses in such heat anyway?"

"We're visiting and little missy here has never worn a dress before." Serenade eyed SunRose, who turned away and looked further down the street.

The vendor laughed, "I see. I remember when I first took my wife to get her first dress. It was incredible seeing her in that velvet cloth. She had this wavy black hair that was astonishing and blew in the wind so elegantly. Her piercing eyes were a sight for sore eyes as well."

"Your wife sounds beautiful." Serenade admired.

"I agree, but sadly… she passed away some time ago."

"Oh… I'm so sorry." Serenade sympathized. She continued to look at all the flowers as there were so many to choose from.

The vendor sighed and took a seat on a nearby barrel, "This shop… it used to be hers before she died. I took it over for her because she said to me… she told me that she wouldn't stop until all her flowers were sold."

"That's so nice of you." Serenade complimented.

"The amazing thing is that she always would return home with a bucket of more flowers that she picked," the vendor's tone became rather somber, "she loved flowers. She was the perfect florist and the perfect woman… she was all mine but I let her die."

Serenade looked at SunRose, who was looking at some of the other shops, "How did… she die?"

"Gunpowder poisoning. She was picking flowers with a few other friends on the land below when creepers blew up the land around her. Problem was that there was an open outlet of lava nearby, causing the mixture of lava and gunpowder to poison her. She died the next day," The vendor sighed and looked Serenade in the eye, "I don't want this shop to close, but I don't know anything about flowers. I'm afraid I'll be out of work once this stand goes and that'll be the end of me… I don't want to disappoint Gabriella. Not after all that she went through."

SunRose began running back to Serenade, "Serenade, I found a cool hat store! Can we buy hats too?"

Serenade reached into her dress pockets, "I don't think so. I didn't think we would have to wait here overnight. I don't have enough money for anything right now. How about we go find the others and get an inn room?"

Before the pair could leave, the vendor slammed his fist on the wooden stand, "I've got it!"

"Got what?" Serenade asked, turning around while SunRose continued on down the street.

"If you pick flowers for me and keep me in business, I'll pay you handsomely and you can buy your sister some hats! How does that sound?" The vendor asked, rushing over to Serenade while he shook with excitement.

Serenade scratched her head in consideration, "Well, she's not my sister but I don't know… I have no idea how long we'll be here, to be honest. I might have to leave tomorrow if Lazarus gets done analyzing something of mine, but if I go get some flowers for you in the morning can I get paid quickly before I leave?"

"Absolutely!" The vendor shouted, holding out his hand for Serenade to shake, "Please, call me Harrison."

Serenade shook his hand, "Nice to work with you… Harrison."

* * *

><p>The sun was fading away from the floating city of Babylon. Night was setting in as shops and vendors everywhere began to close up except for a few florists and the two pubs, which were open all day. One specific florist on the western edge of Babylon caught the attention of one wandering user and pulled him in with the bizarre array of colors.<p>

"How long have you guys been open?" Sabre_Mace asked the woman who ran the store. She was an elderly woman in a wheelchair and a checkered dress.

"Ten years. Ain't gonna change. You gonna buy somethin'?" She shouted, coughing in between words. Spit flew over a few flowers, turning Sabre_Mace off a bit from the attractiveness of the plants.

After a few minutes of gazing at the arrangement of flowers, Sabre_Mace felt a slight breeze to his right. He looked up to the torches lighting up the shop and then to his right. He saw a tall man with short, black hair in a blue kimono. He had rectangular glasses on and looked down at the flowers without taking his gaze anywhere else.

"May I help you, sir?" The old woman spat again.

"Just browsing, ma'am." The man replied maturely in a smooth, deep voice.

Sabre_Mace stepped to his left slightly.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" The man asked.

Sabre_Mace shook his head, "Oh, no, I was just giving you some room."

"I think I have all the room I need." The man laughed.

The old woman laughed before turning around and heading into the building behind the flower stand. Sabre_Mace looked back at the man, who was taking each flower individually and sniffing them passionately, "You seem to really admire flowers."

"They are the essence of beauty. Flowers portray men, women and children as they are meant to be portrayed. They are like our names, signifying what we are like. Have you ever heard of the Flower Zodiac?" The man asked, picking up a bundle of roses and taking a strong sniff.

"I don't think I have."

"It's a way of life for us who follow a more spiritual lifestyle. Every month is represented by a flower depending on what flower is most prosperous around the various springs in Anascentia. Whatever flower is more prosperous means that month is the month of this flower. Each flower represents an emotion, a way to move forward, and you feel this emotional impact when each month comes along." The man said as he returned the roses.

Sabre_Mace nodded, "I see. So, what month is it now?"

"The roses are beautiful this time around. I find it to be September of Love as do all of us who follow the Flower Zodiac." The man said and looked up and down the streets as people began to head inside for the night. The moon was starting to rise in the horizon.

"You seem like an interesting person. Do you live here in Babylon?" Sabre_Mace asked.

"I have no home. I roam freely, doing whatever my mind, body and spirit tells me to do. The flowers lead me on my way as I find my own path in this server. You seem like one capable of harnessing the beauty of flowers… would you like me to teach you about the Flower Zodiac?" The man asked, stroking his palm over the different flowers that were set-up on the stand.

"I'm sort of busy at the moment." Sabre_Mace explained.

"That's too bad. Well, perhaps we'll meet again another time."

"Wait," Sabre_Mace began as the man was about to leave, "who are you?"

The man turned back towards Sabre_Mace with a smile, "You can call me Echo."

"Echo?" Sabre_Mace said aloud to himself.

Echo turned back towards the street and continued walking, "See you around, Isaac."

Sabre_Mace froze in place, "What did you just call me?"

Like a ghost Echo disappeared into the darkness of the night. Sabre_Mace ran in the direction that this mysterious man went only to find street lights not showing any evidence of him being there.

"Isaac?" Sabre_Mace said to himself again.

* * *

><p>It was midnight when the Home Sky Ale House finally began to quiet down. People were leaving with only four men left at the counter, empty shot glasses and bottles of ale scattered around. One man had his head on the counter while the other two continued to drink their hearts out.<p>

"Gee, ain't these lights pretty, Garfield?" Frank cackled loudly before taking another swig of his beer.

"My word, I feel a bit sleepy," Garfunkel moaned before turning to the annoyed bartender, "another Cobblestone Creek, please."

The bartender threw his rag on the counter and walked into the backroom in a fit of anger for these overstaying customers.

The last of the four guys sat towards the end of the counter, no drink around and only looking at the wood polish of the bar, "Isaac… why did he call me that?"

"Sabre_Mace, I think it's high time that ya get laid." Frank shouted. He then proceeded to drop one of his shot glasses onto the floor, letting glass fly all over the stools that they sat upon. At this point everyone else left due to Frank and Garfunkel's constant rambling.

"What?" Sabre_Mace reacted in confusion.

"Come on, Master Roth. You too." Garfunkel slapped the sleeping guy next to him. Roth shot up, sitting up straight in a formal manner instantly.

Frank began laughing again, "Ya know, Garfield, I would really like to bang Serenade."

"What?" Sabre_Mace and a surprisingly sober Roth reacted.

"Wouldn't we all?" Garfunkel agreed.

"What!" Sabre_Mace and Roth were disgusted.

"Not here, though. The beds are awful." Frank said before falling asleep.

Sabre_Mace shook his head, "You two are embarrassing yourselves."

"Come on, Mister, you want SunnyRose?" Garfunkel asked whilst burping.

Sabre_Mace looked appalled, "You guys are too drunk. Come on, up to bed."

Roth grabbed onto Garfunkel while Sabre_Mace picked up Frank. The three had rented rooms on the upstairs for the night prior to their drinking binge. Sabre_Mace and Roth proceeded up the stairs while Frank began to awaken again.

"Where… where are we? Where are we going?" Frank mumbled.

"You two are going to bed." Roth sighed.

"Can I sleep with Serenade?" Frank mumbled again.

Sabre_Mace stopped and dropped the drunken pervert onto the floor across the hall from where SunRose and Serenade slept soundly in their beds, "That's it, find your own room."

Roth walked over to a nearby door on the left and kicked it open. Inside were two beds and a desk. He walked over to the bed near the window on the far wall and threw Garfunkel onto it, turning around in time to witness Frank stumble into bed.

"How the hell did you stay sober?" Sabre_Mace questioned as Roth exited. They walked over to the room next door and entered in, lying in their beds as it slowly became very early morning.

"I didn't even drink."

"But you were passed out!"

"About that…"

"What?"

"Garfunkel attempted to start a bar fight."

"He what?"

"He sort of hit me with a glass bottle."

"That sucks."

"I didn't get any liquor tonight."

"Obviously. Probably was for the better though."

"I guess."

"Goodnight, Roth."

"Goodnight, Sabre_Mace."

* * *

><p><strong>P.S: I just thought I would throw this out there but I guess Echo's design was inspired by that of Jin from <em>Samurai Champloo.<em> Don't exactly care? 'Tis why I placed this at the bottom.**


	9. 1 8 Limitless

**Well, that was a longer than expected break. Only a week or two but whatever.**

**I've recently decided that sometime in the middle of this story I'll be beginning a brand new collection of short stories called "The Tales of Anascentia" that will detail the history of the legendary Minecraft server. This will explain the past and various myths that will be found later on in The Diamond Compass. More importantly, this is a project that you can actually contribute to! If you have any ideas for stories, locations, characters, etc. for The Tales of Anascentia, PM me and I will definitely consider them (majority of them should be fine.) I've already had one received but that's beside the point.**

**Here we are at the second chapter of the Babylon story arc. A lot of the activities that the characters go through in this chapter will be redundant throughout the rest of the story arc as a means of developing the characters and showing who they are. I hope you are pleased with how everything is coming along.**

**With that out of the way, please read and rate/review if you would like!**

* * *

><p>It is rather ironic that Babylon is known for its florists and variety of flowers for sale when there is only one garden in the entire city. Towards the northeast side of the floating world, just north of the College of the Rising, was the Highland Garden, a place where the freshest and purest plants were rested to showcase the beauty of the town and liven up the place.<p>

In the early morning one day, around 4 AM, footsteps echoed loudly throughout the streets. The moonlight was beginning to fade as it began to fall behind the horizon. The footsteps stopped as the figure that was making them came to a halt in front of the Highland Garden, which spread out for about 25x25 squares.

"This should be great. He won't know the difference." She said and stepped over the fence and onto the garden bed. She stepped slowly around the flowers, looking at all the different types. Roses, daffodils, lavender, lilies, all sorts of beautiful plants.

A smirk spread across her face as she bent over and picked a handful of lavender and daffodils from the soil and placed them inside her brown robe that hung over her body, hiding her identity. She stepped back over the fence, picking a bunch more flowers and leaving from the garden completely.

She removed the hood from her head, letting her red hair lay against her back, frazzled from the lack of sleep and rest. "He shouldn't know the difference, I hope."

* * *

><p>A knock on the door brought Frank to an upright position in his bed.<p>

"Come on, you horny creep. Lazarus is waiting for us." Sabre_Mace shouted from the other side of the door.

"Be there in a minute," Frank sighed and lay back down, turning his head to Garfunkel, who had somehow rolled onto the floor. Drool was running down his cheek and dripping onto the floor, "what happened last night?"

* * *

><p>In the downstairs of the Home Sky Ale House, the floors were slowly being rid of the glass that had been left behind the previous night. Roth had a mop in his hand and was scrubbing the floors furiously while SunRose was picking up the various trashes that were strewn around with the glass.<p>

After a few minutes of silence, Roth threw down the mop and sat down in a nearby chair, "Goddamn, I need a break. I wonder how Bastil is holding up without me."

"I'm sure he's doing fine. You weren't his only guard, were you?" SunRose asked as she began removing the trash bag from a nearby can.

"Nah, it was me, Wheat and another dude named DuPont. DuPont left us a year ago after his father died from a Redstone Rebel invasion in a nearby mine. This led Bastil to decide to use his soldiers as guards as well, which practically made me and Wheat first class." Roth sighed and stretched his arms, his joints cracking loudly.

SunRose shuddered at the sound, "Whatever. When is Sabre_Mace and the others going to be down?"

"Sabre_Mace is in the shower and I don't even want to know about the other two. They are a disgrace to us men, I tell you. Anyway, where's Serenade? I haven't seen her since yesterday." Roth questioned as he kicked the mob bucket over, letting the dirty water spill all over the floor.

"Strange. We'll catch up with her later on. I just hope Sabre_Mace hurries up. He's probably the only person who has to be there." SunRose said as Garfunkel and Frank came stumbling downstairs, hung-over from the previous night.

Frank fell over onto a nearby booth table, "Sorry 'bout last night, Roth."

"It's fine. Let's just hope it doesn't happen again," Roth lectured, pointing to Garfunkel, "that goes for you too, old man."

"I have a name, you know." Garfunkel argued before passing out on the floor.

"It's just that my hormones go all crazy when I'm drunk is all." Frank moaned.

Creaking footsteps began coming from the steps as Sabre_Mace came downstairs, wearing a black beater with dress pants, "Classy, eh?"

"Where the hell did you get that beater?" Roth demanded.

"Found it in the closet. Someone must have left it behind. Besides, I've been wearing the same attire for the past few days; it's good to stay clean, ya know?" Sabre_Mace replied and walked over to the door before looking at the entire group, "Okay, what is going on? No one seems alive this morning."

SunRose sighed and sat beside Roth, "Well, those two are drunk and Serenade is missing all of a sudden. It just isn't a good morning is all."

Sabre_Mace groaned and walked over to the counter, pounding his fist on the oak, "Well, this is just great. What mature adults you two are, Frank and Garfunkel!"

"I actually think Serenade's location is more important right now." SunRose pointed out.

"Never mind that, I have to go see Lazarus. Here," Sabre_Mace began pulling Frank and Garfunkel to their feet, "you drunken bozos go find Serenade while SunRose, Roth and I go see Lazarus."

"I don't think it's a good idea to let two drunken bastards out into the streets of the most respectable city in all of Anascentia, Sabre_Mace. Think of the damage they could cause," Roth disagreed and opened the front door, "let them two rest here while I go find Serenade. You and SunRose go see Lazarus and get this whole Dragon Prophecy mess sorted out."

SunRose looked at Sabre_Mace, "Is that alright?"  
>"Yeah, it's fine. Let's just go already. I don't want to keep him waiting." Sabre_Mace said and marched outside as SunRose followed. Roth then departed out into the city again, leaving Frank and Garfunkel behind to get over their ill feelings from the use of alcohol.<p>

* * *

><p>On the inside of The College of the Rising the halls were freshly cleaned. It appeared that all students were off that day but the teachers were still busy as ever. Sabre_Mace and SunRose wasted no time making their way to Lazarus' classroom, where he patiently waited with a large stack of papers filled with pictures and words.<p>

"Wow," Sabre_Mace remarked as he entered the room, the stack of papers catching his eye immediately, "you must have put your nose to the grindstone with this."

Lazarus sighed and picked up the original papers containing the Dragon Prophecy, "Well, as I researched the prophecy I began seeing this was no joking matter. I feel that it was the right thing to do when you came to me. Now then, shall I begin?"

"Please do." Sabre_Mace said as him and SunRose took their seats at two desks in the front of the room.  
>Lazarus stood up and picked up a picture from the top of the stack of papers. He handed it to Sabre_Mace who looked intently at the center of the image. It was a large, black dragon with fierce, red eyes, floating in a seemingly dark world. "Do you know what that is?" Lazarus questioned, pulling out his chair from behind his desk and taking a seat by Sabre_Mace and SunRose.<p>

"I would have to say no. Do you, SunRose?"

SunRose shook her head.

"That, my friend, is known as The Ender Dragon. It is said to be the god of all of Anascentia. It is supposedly the father of the Endermen race and since the Endermen were the original users of Anascentia, it basically labels this thing a god. It also is the basis of the Endersend, so all living things in this world come from the Ender Dragon, one way or another." Lazarus explained as he took the picture away from Sabre_Mace.

"But what if someone isn't from this world?" Sabre_Mace questioned.

"What do you mean?" Lazarus was confused as he took out another piece of paper from the stack.

Sabre_Mace scratched his neck nervously, "Well, the thing is that I've come to think that not everyone in Anascentia is from this server and that some are here because of the Tech Apocalypse."

SunRose looked over at him, "I think he might be right, Lazarus. I have these strange dreams sometimes where I'm in a world unlike Anascentia and where everything doesn't seem so tame like… like our old world."

"Old world? You both are crazy. What other world is there?"

Sabre_Mace leaned back in his chair slowly, "You must be from Anascentia then."

"Okay?" Lazarus tried to stop Sabre_Mace from talking, "Anyway, the basic premise of the prophecy, as I've deciphered the best I can, is that the Father of Truth is in charge of bringing the end upon this world and his Four Noble Horsemen are to help him succeed by allowing themselves to be killed by the user with a heart as strong as diamond."

A smile spread across his face as Sabre_Mace stood up, "There we go! Obsidian666 must be the Father of Truth and Exile a Noble Horseman! This is starting to make a lot of sense. Who could the other three be, though?" He asked SunRose.

"How about that crazy chick from chapter two?" SunRose suggested.

"Yeah, what was her name? Exile said it once but I probably wasn't listening," Sabre_Mace trailed off, "anyway, continue please."

Lazarus looked down at the piece of paper again, "And while I do think the idea of another world being preposterous… the prophecy would have to say otherwise. Whatever this Obsidian666 is planning is in correlation with the Dragon Prophecy."

The two younger users nodded. Sabre_Mace stood up and unbuttoned his beater, placing it on the back of his desk and removing the Dragon Prophecy from the stack of papers, "Alright, then let's go onto another topic from here… How about this Diamond Compass? That comes right the hell out of nowhere."

"The Diamond Compass is actually one of the key points in the passage," Lazarus began as he snatched the prophecy from Sabre_Mace's grasp, "you see, I've done some researching into the title of The Father of Truth and the myths that surround it clearly state that the Nether is the destination that this father desires. What I've come to expect is that The Diamond Compass will somehow lead you to the Nether before The Father of Truth or Obsidian666 in this case. Make sense?"

"What does Obsidian666 want with the Nether though? It's just a deadly wasteland there." SunRose questioned.

The professor stood up and stood next to Sabre_Mace, "While all of Obsidian666's motivations are unclear at the moment, at least we've come to a conclusion on some things. This Diamond Compass is what you're after, Sabre_Mace, and I suggest you get it before anyone from the rebellion does."

"That makes absolutely no sense, though. Why would they want to prevent me from fulfilling the Dragon Prophecy when that is what they're after? Speaking of which, why did Exile attack me when he wanted me to kill him? Those rebels don't make any sense to me. I feel they'll only destroy themselves in the end."  
>Sabre_Mace sighed and picked up his beater.<p>

SunRose stood up with the other two, "Is that all you can tell us?"

"The only other thing I can tell you is that this House of the Holy Sun is what I theorize to be the location of said compass. If anything, that is your next destination if you plan to deal with this ordeal head on." Lazarus concluded before taking his seat behind his desk.

Sabre_Mace nodded, "Very well then, looks like we'd better round everybody up and get on going."

"Uh, I don't think that will work," Lazarus interrupted as the two users were about to exit the classroom, "the Balloon Depot was shut down earlier today on account of suspicious activity linked to the Redstone Rebellion. It's going to be out for a few days at least."

"Damn it," Sabre_Mace threw his hands up, his voice echoing down the hallway, "I don't want to have to deal with those drunken idiots that I call partners again! They are a disgrace to us who try to give respect where respect is due!"

"Calm down, Sabre_Mace. You don't need to keep complaining. We can get anything that we need from Babylon before leaving; this is actually a really good opportunity." SunRose consoled.

The male user sighed, putting back on his black beater, "Yeah, like a new beater. I can't stand black. Plus, it's sunny outside. Maybe red or gray."

"Red? Ew." SunRose laughed as the two left the college.

* * *

><p>Roth sat down on a nearby bench in the shade to rest. Several hours of searching and still no sign of Serenade anywhere. The shops, primarily florists, were always swooning around him and urging him to purchase from their selection only for him to walk away and sit on another bench across the street.<p>

"Please sir, just one flower!" An aging man begged of Roth.

"No. I'm not here to buy flowers; I'm here to find a friend of mine…" Roth denied before looking at the man's flower stand beside him, "What kind of flowers do you have?"

The man smiled, "Primarily dogwoods and cosmos, but others as well! Won't you take a look?"

Roth sighed and stood up, "Fine, but a short one and I'm not buying anything."

"Oh, I wasn't expecting you to. My shop is one of the least successful here in Babylon. I think that it is because of my beliefs." The man said, stepping behind his wooden stand as Roth looked through the assortment of flowers.

"Beliefs? What sort of beliefs?"

"I follow the Flower Zodiac, which is quite controversial in Anascentia. You ever heard of it?" The man asked as he picked up a single dogwood and looked at its petals.

Thinking for a second, Roth shook his head, "Can't say I have."

"It's the lot of us who find flowers to be the essence of life in every way. People hate us for either not believing in Notch or the Endermen. I can't find myself to follow either of those religions, honestly. Not my type," The man rambled on, "I'm Randall, by the way."

Roth nodded, "Nice to meet you, Randall. You can call me Roth."

"Well, it's a pleasure, Roth. You say you're looking for a certain someone?"

"Yes, my friend. She wandered off somewhere during the night and I've been having trouble locating her. Once we find her I want to leave this city already." Roth said before turning away from the stand and looked inwards toward the city.

Randall walked next to him, "I think I know who you're talking about."

"You do? How? I haven't described her in the slightest."

"Well, let's just say it's a lucky guess, I suppose." Randall chuckled.

* * *

><p>The Home Sky Ale House was closed that day. Money problems were forcing it to take cuts on how often it is open, making it the inferior option to its competitor, the Smokehouse Bolding Brew. The lights were off on the inside and were vacant except for two fellows of varying age.<p>

With a loud, zombie-like moan, Frank rolled off the table and onto the floor, looking at the ceiling, "What am I doing with my life?"

Garfunkel came walking out of the kitchen, "You still not sober, Master Frank?"

Frank sat up and looked at Garfunkel, his shirt off and pants unzipped, "I feel worse than I did earlier. Maybe I oughta stop drinking for good."

"Master Frank, it's always good to have a drink every once in a while. You just need to control your intake is all. Why, this was the first time in years that I've been on such an irrational night with alcohol. Maybe a wake-up call, I suppose." The elderly user explained and helped Frank to his feet. The two walked outside while Frank put on his shirt.

The sun brightened the sky beautifully. It was a clear day, not a cloud in sight, which was still an off-putting feel to Garfunkel after the endless drought from days before. "Where are we going after Sabre_Mace gets back?"

"Well, that all depends on what Master Mace learns. His destiny is our destination. Either way, since when were you officially involved in our shenanigans?" Garfunkel questioned as he noticed Sabre_Mace and SunRose walking down the steps from the Highland Garden, which was on the way back from the college.

Frank shrugged his shoulders, "Would it really be a problem to you?"

"Not exactly. However, I feel that an unnecessary presence in this trip could cause us more harm than good," Garfunkel explained, "we'll talk more about this later. Right now we need to figure out what happens from here on out."

"And I guess that's where I come in?" Sabre_Mace said as he approached the two, SunRose tagging along behind, "It seems that we need to do a bit of research ourselves while the Balloon Depot is out temporarily."

"It's out? For what?" Frank asked.

"Redstone Rebels." SunRose said.

Garfunkel and Frank nodded.

"Well, where do we need to go when it's up and working again?" Frank asked, taking a seat on the front steps of the pub.

Sabre_Mace thought back to his meeting with Lazarus, "The Diamond Compass. This item is supposed to help us in our fight against the Redstone Rebellion. It's located in a place called the House of the Holy Sun, which I don't know where that is. We'll have to locate it before departing."

"Understandable. You can rest assure, Master Mace, that I'll handle this task. You can take it easy for a little while." Garfunkel volunteered.

"Actually, I have some of my own personal business to take care of." Sabre_Mace said. Without another word he turned towards the city and disappeared into the field of buildings.

"Where's he going?" Frank asked SunRose as Garfunkel left.

"I don't know. I'll go find Roth and see if he's found Serenade. You…" SunRose said, "Do whatever you do."

"Fine by me." Frank sighed and the two separated.

* * *

><p>Not too far south from Home Sky Ale House was a small diner run by a man named Edward Wales, a popular businessman in Babylon. It was dimly lit and rather expensive with most of the items on the menu in the twenty to thirty dollar range.<p>

The door opened, letting the bright sunlight in, and both Randall and Roth walked in. The place was mostly empty except for the few caterers and customers that were scattered around the luxurious restaurant. One particular customer was a young woman with blond hair, casual jeans and a tight blue shirt. She looked up and waved over to the two.

Randall pushed Roth over to her and sat him down, "Roth, is this Serenade?"

Roth shook his head, "She looks nothing like Serenade. Why did you wave over to me?" Roth asked the girl.

"Well, it's just that this girl has had her eye on you all day." Randall pointed out, taking a seat beside Roth.  
>Roth's face blushed red, "Y-You have?"<p>

The girl smiled and nodded before holding out her hand, "My name is Eden. Can I get your name, handsome?"

"R-Ro… Roth… My name is Roth…" Roth mumbled, laughing nervously.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Roth. Where did you bump into Randy? Nobody usually goes near his shop." Eden questioned as Roth shook her hand slowly. His grip was awkward and rather tense.

"Well, I-I was trying to find a friend of mine… And he thought y-you were her." Roth stumbled on his words at the sight of this gorgeous user.

Eden chuckled, "No need to be nervous."

"S-Sorry."

"Well, I'll be leaving you two, I guess. Need to tend to my lonely shop again." Randall sighed and left. Roth was about to raise his hand in farewell but quickly lowered it as to not look stupid in front of Eden.

"So, did you ever find this friend?"

"No, and I'm really worried for her. She disappeared in the middle of the night and I have no idea where she could be. Actually, I should be getting back to the search right now-"

Eden grabbed onto Roth's arm, "Maybe I can help you!"

"R-Really? You want to help?" Roth began sweating as he felt her warm hand caress his forearm.

"Sure, why not! I have nothing else going on today and this would be the perfect way to get to know each other!" Eden said and dragged Roth out of the restaurant and onto the streets of Babylon.

* * *

><p>"How is this, Harrison?" Serenade asked, setting a bouquet of flowers on his stand.<p>

The expert florist nodded as he took the bouquet into his possession, "Very nice. Didn't expect such genuine flowers from you, Serenade," Harrison complimented, setting the bouquet down on the stand, "say, have you heard about the Highland crimes?"

Serenade shook her head, "What is that?"

"Apparently some bozo has been taking flowers from the Highland Gardens. It recently began and has the florists in an uproar." Harrison explained as customers began piling up in front of his stand.

Serenade took a seat behind the stand, frozen in shock, "I-Is that bad?"

"Well, the Highland Garden is a sacred place. It was said that when Babylon was first founded the only thing present was this garden. Deteriorating it would be illogical. People are saying that the same Redstone Rebels that had the Balloon Depot shut down are causing this crime as well." Harrison turned to Serenade and gave her a stack of cash.

She flipped through it, "How much is it?"

"Three hundred. If you want to continue helping me out until the Balloon Depot is up and running again be my guest. I could use all the help I can get." Harrison persuaded before turning back to the line of customers, which was growing larger by the minute.

Serenade sighed and walked back onto the streets. It wasn't even noon and she was already wishing she could just go to sleep.

* * *

><p>The sun struck immense heat onto Babylon as it watched over the server around noon. Everyone fled for the shade and pubs to cool off and rejoice about their day thus far. Everyone except for a few, including Sabre_Mace.<p>

Standing outside of the florist shop that he had encountered the night before, he stood against the wall of the building that the elderly owner of the shop, Mrs. Towers, owned and lived in. She opened the front door and wheeled her wheelchair to her stand, not taking a look over at Sabre_Mace.

"Waiting for him?" She asked, staring at the crowds of people that passed up her shop in favor of the dozens of other venues scattered around the floating metropolis.

Sabre_Mace nodded.

"He might not come back."

"You never know. He might. Gotta think positive sometimes."

Mrs. Towers laughed loudly, drawing stares from the passerby's, "You youngsters and your fantasies. Why don't you go out and find yourself a pretty lady, settle down, and live a good life, huh? Ain't no reason to bother that man. No one does."

"But he knows something that I must know as well."

The screeching of the wheels on the wheelchair locking into place hurt the young user's ears, "If you were meant to know than you would know already. Listen to me and go live your life. You don't live forever."

"Didn't you just hear me?" Sabre_Mace raised his voice and looked at the lady, who was staring at him with worrisome eyes, "I don't know because I haven't learned it yet. He knows something about me that is necessary to living my life. So, yes; I am trying to live my life, like you said."

A small tear fell down Mrs. Tower's cheek, "But… But…"

"Mrs. Towers?" Sabre_Mace's voice turned into a slight whimper.

"You don't understand, kid…" She began to shout through her straining voice, "You never know what death has in store for you. My husband was killed in the Endermen Crusade; both my son Lucas and daughter Renee were poisoned by an unknown man and forced to suffer months of endless pain. And here I am, still living despite me being no different from them. Live your life and find your love before it disappears forever…" She began to cry.

Sabre_Mace walked over and hugged her, consoling her quietly while people on the streets just watched, "It's alright, I understand completely. But the lives of others come first, alright? I want to protect you and I can't ignore that. I won't ignore that, understand?"

Mrs. Towers nodded slowly.

"Is something the matter?" A sincere voice asked from the front of the stand.

Sabre_Mace and Mrs. Towers turned to see Echo, standing tall, looking almost exactly like he did the previous night except with a slight sorrowful expression on his face.

"You!" Sabre_Mace shouted, pointing his right index finger at Echo, "Why did you call me Isaac last night? What do you know about me?"

Echo looked utterly confused, "I am deeply sorry if I caused any confusion with you. I was merely referring to you by your proper name, Isaac."

"Stop calling me that!" Sabre_Mace shouted even louder, slamming his hands on the stand. Flowers flew off to the side and onto the ground where Echo proceeded to pick them up and placed them gently back on the table.

"Why should I? If it is your proper name, what is the problem with referring to you as Isaac?" Echo asked, placing his hands inside his sleeves and taking a deep breath.

Sabre_Mace walked around to the front of the stand, "My name is not Isaac. Where the hell did you pull that from?"

"You are quite mistaken, Isaac. That is your real name."

With his fists tensing, the young user slowly calmed himself and began breathing heavily, "You have no right to refer to me by that name! Not when I don't even know that much about myself anyway."

Echo stepped back, "I can sense you're angry, Isaac-"

"Stop it!"

"- But that doesn't mean you need to take your anger out on me. It's September of Love, not hate. Learn to appreciate what I've revealed to you and what this can mean for your future." Echo said and walked past Sabre_Mace.

Sabre_Mace grabbed onto one of Echo's sleeves, "You aren't going anywhere! If that is my true name, then how do you know?"

Echo did not turn around nor speak.

"Answer me!"

"I have no need to." Echo began walking down the street, escaping Sabre_Mace's grip without any trouble. He soon got lost in the crowd of people gathering around the street corner, leaving Sabre_Mace and Mrs. Towers alone on the surprisingly vacant road.

Mrs. Towers unlocked her wheels and pulled up next to Sabre_Mace, who was about to break down right there, "What is the commotion? Somebody die?"

"No," Sabre_Mace said, his voice tensing up, "but somebody is about to."

Her eyes widening with realization, Mrs. Towers watched as Sabre_Mace began to walk towards the group of people, "You're not going after him, are you?"

"I have to." Sabre_Mace said and disappeared into the crowd as well. As he pushed past the people who were stuck very close together, he soon began to hear horns, like from a trumpet. He eventually emerged to the front of the gathering where a barricade was keeping everyone from proceeding. Squadrons of policeman were investigating what seemed to be a blasted wall on a brick building which served as a bank. He turned to the woman next to him, "Excuse me, did you see a guy in a blue robe thing walk past here?"

"Yeah, he crossed the barricades and walked down the street. The policemen didn't mind him much so I don't know how far he got." The woman said with a smile.

"Thank you." Sabre_Mace said quickly before leaping over the barricades and marching past the policemen, who were trying to force him back in with the group. He was able to avoid them easily and move past the scene of the crime and come to an intersection going straight and to the left. Down the left road was what appeared to be a stand-off. Echo was on the closer end of the road while three men in red wraps were a couple meters away from him. "Echo?"

Echo turned around to see Sabre_Mace, "Go, Isaac."

"Not until I understand what you mean."

Echo nodded before turning back to the other men, "Well, I think that will have to wait. Forgive me." He said and straightened his right arm. Out of the sleeve of his blue kimono was a stainless steel spear gun, designed to act as a sword for close combat and as a long range projectile. He aimed the sharp tip of the spear gun at the three men, his body calm and straight, "I am disappointed that you still are so foolish, Amos."

The wrapped man in front took two knives from the leather belt around his waist. He got into a battle stance and looked angrily at Echo, "Obsidian666 knows best. Thus, I won't deny his brilliance."

Sabre_Mace froze in place, "Obsidian?"

"You'd rather deny the brilliance of life for the brilliance of the Father of Truth? How ridiculous. I'd hoped you had learned your lesson back in Kiroka but I guess your place has not been set in the world yet. Allow me to provide you with your destiny." Echo said and shot the spear gun at the man to Amos' right. The tip of the spear stabbed the man in the chest. With a quick tug, Echo brought the man towards him and onto the ground, supposedly lifeless.

Amos began to sweat immensely, "You don't scare me."

"That pulsating expression on your face says otherwise. The money you would have taken from that bank would have served absolutely no purpose to you if you were to have succeeded. Why can't you think of things before carrying out these missions?" Echo said and took a few steps forward.

Amos and his other man stepped back.

"Stay away!" The other man shouted before turning around and running away. The spear shot out of the gun and nailed him right in the heart, the spear coming out of his chest on his front. The spear retracted and the dead body of this criminal fell down, blood staining the street.

"Echo, what is going on? Who are these guys?" Sabre_Mace asked, approaching Echo.

"I told you to leave." Echo restated his demand as Amos began to approach.

"I want to know the truth; who are these men?"

Echo sighed and stopped. Amos stopped as well and looked at Sabre_Mace.

"They are Redstone Rebels."

Sabre_Mace looked over at Amos, who was breathing heavily, "Stay out of the way, little man. I don't think you know who you're messing with!"

"You're a Redstone Rebel. You want me dead to fulfill the Dragon Prophecy." Sabre_Mace shouted, drawing his diamond sword.

"Dragon Prophecy? You must have us mistaken for someone else. Wander off and let me and Echo settle this for the last time, kid." Amos suggested.

Sabre_Mace sheathed his diamond sword slowly, looking at Amos, "Why doesn't he know? Why didn't Frank know either?"

"Isaac, get out of here unless you wish to be scarred for life." Echo shouted loudly in a tone of voice Sabre_Mace had never expected from him. Amos and Echo dashed at each other, swiftly with their weapons dragging on the wind behind them. As Amos swung his left dagger at Echo, the kimono-wearing warrior clashed blades with his spear gun. Sabre_Mace could easily see Echo overpowering Amos but didn't see how the fight could end right then.

Slowly, Echo pushed against Amos' dagger, positioning his spear gun so that the tip of the spear aimed at Amos. Without another thought he pulled the trigger and let the spear fly into Amos' chest. The Redstone Rebel stopped defending himself and let Echo place his foot on his body to pull out his spear. As Echo backed up with his bloody spear gun, Amos staggered to his feet, coughing up blood all over the street.

"Interesting… I'm still alive." Amos chuckled.

"Not for long." Echo said and dashed at him, his spear gun held out horizontally to his right. Swiftly, the spear's blade sliced through the neck and forced Amos' head to slide off and onto the ground. The main body fell over as Echo stood in position for a good minute or so before wiping his spear with his sleeve and turning back to Sabre_Mace, who was shocked beyond belief, "I told you to leave before you got scarred for life."

Sabre_Mace backed up as Echo approached, "Y-You're…"

"Yes?"

"You're a R-Redstone Rebel…" Sabre_Mace was about to cry in fear.

Echo froze in place, staring Sabre_Mace in the eye, "I prefer to not use that term."

"I don't care what you prefer! I prefer to call you a filthy Redstone Rebel if you prefer to call me Isaac! Now, tell me where the hell that name comes from before I cut you down!" Sabre_Mace drew his diamond sword, shaking uncontrollably from knowing what he was about to go up against.

Echo stopped and watched as Sabre_Mace was about to cry, "Don't cry, Isaac. It is merely the truth that is being hidden from you and you should feel no grief or fear of it. I don't want to kill you. I myself feel incomplete in this world and must complete my destiny as a warrior of nobility. In the end, that must mean I will die and I would not have it any other way."

Sabre_Mace stepped backwards and fell onto his behind.

"Isaac, stop fighting. The truth will be revealed soon and you will feel safe. The prophecy is like believing in Notch or the Endermen or the Flowers; you can love it or hate it, but eventually one will be proven to be true." Echo said before turning around and walked towards the dead bodies of his victims. He turned the corner and was soon gone, leaving the blood stained streets to the civilians to deal with.

Sabre_Mace was frozen in fear when a police officer tapped him on the shoulder, "Hey buddy, are you okay? Were you hurt at all?"

"I… I…" Sabre_Mace mumbled, feeling his eyes swelling up with water, "I… don't know anymore…"

The police officer sighed and called for the others.

"This guy is having some serious issues. Could you take him to the clinic?" The police officer asked the others. Two officers walked over and picked up Sabre_Mace, who was still frozen in fear. He soon felt the soft texture of silk on his back as he was placed on a stretcher. He was lifted by the officers and carried off down the street, almost in the same direction as Echo.

* * *

><p>Night was a particular spectacle to the people of Anascentia. The vastness of space and beyond took center stage and was a worldwide presentation for all to witness. Friends, enemies, family and even those enduring their last days all feel the same feeling that the stars and cosmos above showcase.<p>

"Can't you feel the love, Roth?" Eden asked as the two lay down on a grassy hill right near Highland Garden. It was a popular destination for young lovers to sit by their associated others and drown out the rest of the world with the night sky.

Roth sighed heavily and turned to Eden, "I… I need to go."

"What? Why?" Eden sat up as Roth stood up.

"I need to go find my other friends. They're probably worried about me."

"But the night is only beginning!" Eden begged, following Roth down the hill and into the central square. Lights were abundant all around and echoed the feeling of love in the air with the cloudless sky above.

Roth sighed again and grabbed hold of Eden's hand, "I'll see you tomorrow. Don't worry." He said and turned to the Home Sky Ale House. On the inside, the bright lights from the torches stung Roth's eyes for a moment before they adjusted to his setting. He turned to his left to see Garfunkel, Frank, SunRose and Serenade all seated at a table, their eyes on him. The place was empty except for them.

"Roth, where the bloody hell were you?" Garfunkel raged.

Roth took his seat, "I was out with a friend."

"You weren't screwing around with women, were you?" Frank asked with a slight tone of jealousy in his voice.

"Shut it. Why does everyone look so down? Something happen?"

Everyone looked down at the table.

"Did I miss something?" Roth asked.

SunRose looked up, her eyes slightly watery, "Sabre_Mace is in the hospital. He was attacked by a Redstone Rebel and nearly killed."

Roth's eyes shot wide open, "What? How did he lose a fight?"

"No one knows." Serenade said.

"Where were you all day, miss?" Roth asked her.

"She was working. Calm down, will ya?" Frank said.

"Working? We're only going to be here for a couple of days." Roth was confused.

"Always good to have money, right?" Serenade said.

"Right." Roth muttered, thinking back to Eden. He looked at his left hand in which he caressed her hand, touching it with his index finger, "I don't really like this place."


	10. 1 9 Comforting Fear

**Including this one, there are five more chapters to the Babylon story arc. As I previously said already, the story arc is vital to the characters' development in multiple ways. It's also important in understand this story as it goes all over the place and can be quite difficult to follow at points.**

**Not much else to be said other than enjoy and review if you enjoy.**

* * *

><p>The moon seemed so magnificent as it loomed over Babylon. Such an extraordinary object that simply sits and watches over Anascentia, giving off radiance so strong that it keeps all users alive and moving. Do people still feel afraid even when they know they are not alone?<br>_  
>Maybe,<em>Sabre_Mace thought to himself as he lay in his hospital bed. The room he was situated in was rather small with his bed taking up most of the room. There was one chair in a corner and then the glass wall which showcased the moon and all its glory to the young user.

As he looked down at his right hand, slowly shutting his eyes, he noticed something rather odd; his hand was shaking uncontrollably. He placed his calm left hand over his right but they both began to shake now. Soon both his legs joined in on the insanity. In only a few minutes his entire body was shaking madly.

Sabre_Mace looked to the right side of his bed where a remote that called down to the office was sitting. He reached over the best he could with his trembling hand but accidentally knocked it off, the remote sounding to have broken as it crashed to the floor. His eyes tearing up, he looked to the ceiling and tried his best to calm down.

He could feel his heart racing madly, his future uncertain in his eyes. Gripping the soft blanket he was equipped with, he whimpered quietly and waited to fall asleep.

Then it all stopped.

The big wooden door on the left of the room creaked open. The screeching of the bolts on the door caught Sabre_Mace off guard. He jumped slightly and looked over, eyes twitching at the tall, shadowy figure that was entering.

"I hope I didn't disturb you, Isaac."

Sabre_Mace nearly cried. Instead he leaped out of bed and stared at the figure's body as the moonlight shined on it; it was Echo, looking calm as usual. He looked all around him as the rebel approached him, trying to identify something that could act as a weapon. He quickly grabbed a picture off the wall and faced Echo.

Echo shook his head, "You need your rest, Isaac."

"Tell me something, you traitor," Sabre_Mace demanded, locked in a defensive position as this intruder stopped at the foot of the bed, "what are you doing in Babylon? Why are you calling me Isaac?"

The room had an eerie atmosphere after those words. Sabre_Mace slowly moved to the left, keeping his distance from Echo, who was approaching yet again, "Isaac, that is irrelevant. You need your rest."

"No! You're going to kill me in my sleep, I know it!" Sabre_Mace shouted.

At almost a blinding speed, Echo dashed forward, sending his spear through the picture and holding Sabre_Mace against the wall, "Don't make me say this again. I don't wish to hurt you; I wish only the best for you. Reacting this way won't help."

"How can I trust you?" Sabre_Mace was ready to break into a panic attack.

"How can you trust me?" Echo questioned, taking the picture off his spear and placing it on the wall, "Isaac, if I really wanted to kill you I would've done it already. I'm not here for blood or murder. I'm here only to ask for forgiveness."

"Forgiveness?" Sabre_Mace was confused and unknowingly began to sit on his bed while Echo took his seat on the one chair, "For what?"

Echo rubbed his eyes, obviously exhausted, "I've beaten around the bush during all these encounters. I fear that is pushing you over the edge and that is not what I want. I want only the best from you."

Sabre_Mace could feel his right forearm shaking, but this time in fear, "Echo, what is it that you want? You don't seem like the one to belong in Babylon. I fear that you're after me. Is that it?"

"I just want peace of mind. The travesty that is overcoming this world is as irritating as those who don't acknowledge all the possibilities of life. The reason we suffer greatly is because of our lack of understanding," Echo said and placed his right hand on Sabre_Mace, "but I think you understand."

"What? What do I understand?" Sabre_Mace's left forearm began shaking.

Echo looked to the moon, "Understanding."

"What does that mean?" Sabre_Mace sat up as Echo moved towards the door.

"September of Love, Isaac." Echo uttered and disappeared into the hall.

Almost immediately two interns rushed into the room, turning on all lights and inspecting Sabre_Mace, "Are you alright dear? We heard you scream but we weren't sure who that scream belonged to."

After another few minutes the interns left, leaving Sabre_Mace along again. He looked at the moon, not taking his focus off it. The dark and light patterns of the realistic looking object were interesting. It was a sign of the combination of both worlds; how it is Minecraft but with what looks like the real world.

It is proof to those who survived the Tech Apocalypse that this was no dream.

* * *

><p>A rather rainy day was upon Babylon, which was odd. Rain wasn't common in the ancient city because of its location. The only time that such conditions were met would be when a thunderstorm was passing through and the billowing clouds began to take effect.<p>

Rain pelted the streets as Serenade only sat by and watched, the streets being slightly flooded, "Can't work today. This won't be good."

"What do you do for work, anyway?" Roth asked, sipping on some coffee at the bar. The place had been vacant for the entire time they'd been there except for their first night.

"Collecting and selling flowers. It's simple and gives me good money. Can't do my job in the rain, though," She sighed and sat down next to Roth, "so who was that girl you were hanging out with last night?"  
>SunRose came running down the stairs, "Yeah, who is she?"<p>

"Way to be nosy, guys," Roth sighed, "to be honest, I have no idea. I met a guy and he told me where to find you, Serenade. Next thing you know I'm meeting this chick who is interested in me and we go on this 'search' for you. More like a date."

"Aww!" Both girls replied.

The door behind the bar counter flew open and Garfunkel walked out, "No more drinking. Frank is finally sober and I don't want to think about what would happen if that were to change. Has anyone come into contact with Master Mace this dreadful morning?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"That should change. SunRose, why don't you go and pay him a visit?" Garfunkel volunteered her.

She turned red suddenly, "What? Why me?"

"I have decided to take charge of this place while the owner is missing. Without me, you've known him the longest. I feel he would enjoy a visit from you." Garfunkel said.

"Missing?" Serenade was intrigued.

"Yes, the owner of this place went missing the morning after our hangover. No one knows where he went, but rumor has it that he is involved with those Redstone Rebels that began robbing Highland Garden of its flowers." Garfunkel explained, washing the glasses that the others had been using that morning.

Serenade froze slightly, thinking back to her job.

"Didn't happen last night, though," Roth said, "Babylon officials are doing a pretty shitty job of handling things here. There was that standoff that happened yesterday. Isn't that the one that Sabre_Mace got hurt in?"  
>Frank came down the stairs, looking incredibly tired, "You guys are really loud. Can't sleep."<p>

"It's eight in the morning. You should have been awake an hour ago, Master Frank." Garfunkel lectured and walked into the backroom again.

Barely even listening, Frank stumbled over to the counter and took his seat beside Serenade, "Not working today?"

"It's raining." Serenade pointed out the obvious.

"Right," Frank turned away and saw SunRose putting on a raincoat, "where are you off to, missy?"

SunRose flipped the hood onto her head, "I'm going to the hospital to the north to see Sabre_Mace. Someone has to and Garfunkel told me to." She said and walked over to the front door. As it came open, rain blew inside, soaking the wooden floor. She pushed herself out and began to force her legs to walk through such heavy water.

Frank only watched as SunRose trudged away, "Well, what about the rest of us? The hell are we supposed to do?"

"You know, you are acting like a dick right now," Roth chuckled, "what happened to that polite and happy attitude you had back when we first met you? If you acted like this we could have just left you behind."

"Har har. Seriously, what are we supposed to do? The city is pretty impossible to walk around in today." Frank whined.

Serenade shrugged her shoulders, "Just hang out, I guess."

Frank leaned over, "Maybe play around a little?"

Roth stood up and slapped the former rebel across the face, "Grow the hell up."

* * *

><p>Business all over Babylon was weak that day. Whenever it rains, which isn't often, businesses usually go out on a holiday. Same with such vital services, like the hospital, except that they still watch over patients who are currently staying in the facility.<p>

With this in mind, the interns were very surprised to see a soaking young girl enter through their front doors, breathing heavily. Water dripped off her raincoat and made small puddles on the lobby floor. One intern, a middle aged male, walked up to her and took her coat and placed it on a rack.

"What are you doing here, miss?" The other intern, a young, dark skinned woman asked, clicking a pen constantly and looking bored out of her mind.

SunRose coughed heavily, "I'm here to see Sabre_Mace."

"Ah, his first visitor. You his girlfriend?" The woman asked.

"What? Of course not!" SunRose turned red and looked around for a hallway or staircase, "How do I get to his room?"

The male intern pointed to a door to the left of the entrance, "Take that up to the top. He's the first door on the left."

SunRose thanked them and rushed off up the stairs, feeling embarrassed by the way the hospital interns treated her. Shaking her head of the thoughts, she found the door and nudged it open slightly. As she entered in, she saw Sabre_Mace asleep on the hospital bed, his beater off and on the chair beside him. She noticed his rather muscular torso and became even more red.

As she stepped into the room, his eyes shot wide open and he sat up furiously, "Back again, Echo?" As he saw SunRose he sighed and lay back down, "It's just you."

"Yeah, who else?" SunRose seemed worried as she sat down on the chair.

"What are you doing here?" Sabre_Mace asked, staring at the ceiling.

"I'm here to visit and see how you're doing. Garfunkel said that someone should pay you a visit so here I am," SunRose explained, looking out the window at the city of Babylon as it was drenched in endless rain. Most of the city could be seen from this height. The hospital was the tallest building in the city.

Sabre_Mace sighed and sat back up, "I shouldn't be here."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you see anything wrong with me?"

SunRose examined his torso a bit before shaking her head.

The young user began to stretch his arms and legs, "I wasn't hurt at all. I was just in a state of panic and the officers at the scene thought I was hurt."

"That's great! Let's get you out of here!" SunRose grabbed his arm and tried to pull him out of bed but he fought it and remained still.

Sabre_Mace pulled off the covers and stood up, still wearing his dress pants, "The doctors said that I have no idea what I'm talking about. They won't let me leave no matter what."

"That's stupid! You know what's better for you than anybody else!" SunRose said and passed Sabre_Mace his black beater.

As he put it on, he looked out the window and noticed that neither the sun nor moon could be seen. Nothing was watching over him, "Welcome to the world of doctors. Are you hungry?"

The two left the room and went down the stairs to the second floor where there was a cafeteria. Sabre_Mace walked over to a table against the front wall near a window and sat down, looking out the window, "What time is it? I can't tell anymore with this rain."

"I think it's around nine. There are clocks everywhere, you know," SunRose took a seat across from Sabre_Mace and watched as he continued to stare out the window ominously, "are you alright? You seem awfully fascinated with the rain."

"I'm fine. Just watching for the moon."

SunRose leaned forward and looked out the window as well, "The moon? Why?"

"I feel safe with the moon."

"But it's not even night."

"But it's still there."

"No it isn't."

"Then what is?"

"The sun." SunRose pointed out, confused as to Sabre_Mace's logic.

Sabre_Mace shook his head, "You can't stare at the sun, can you?"

SunRose shook her head.

"Then what good is it?"

"It gives us light."

"So does the moon."

Standing up, SunRose pushed her chair in, "Are you alright? I'm really worried that your brain is acting up or something."

"I just want the moon," Sabre_Mace stood up, "it makes me feel safe."

SunRose stood there, completely dumbfounded.

Sabre_Mace smiled, "Come on, let's get some food."

* * *

><p>Back in Home Sky Ale House, the place was still empty except for Garfunkel, Frank, Serenade and Roth, who were all gathered around one table in the center of the room. Bottles of liquor were strewn around with some even shattered mostly.<p>

On top of the table were a massive pile of cash and a desk of cards. Cards were all over the table and on the floor, no one obviously taking care of keeping things clean.

"Alright, wanna hear another story?" Garfunkel laughed, throwing an empty liquor bottle in his hands onto the floor and letting all the glass spread everywhere, "There was this lady I got rather fond with back in my golden days…"

Frank began laughing hysterically, throwing his hand of cards onto the table, "We outta liquor? We need more. Serenade, get us some tequila."

With her head on the table, Serenade sighed and coughed badly, "We ain't got no more. I think I might go lay down for a little bit."

"Here, I'll lay down with you, baby." Frank giggled and reached his hand out to put on Serenade's chest.  
>Roth's hand reached out and smacked Frank right in the face, "Knock it off, jackass. You're embarrassing yourself again."<p>

"Come on, Master Roth, have a drink!" Garfunkel pleaded.

"I don't drink anymore because of this. I'm afraid I'd be a complete asshole if I were to try drinking again. How about we get back to the game and let Serenade rest." Roth said and set his cards in the middle along with another dollar bill.

Frank leaned over to Roth and whispered in his ear, "Come on, I just wanna have sex with her!"  
>Furious at Frank's immature behavior, Roth stood up and sent his face into Frank's jaw, forcing him out of his chair and onto his back. Roth shook his head and went over to the bar counter, taking his seat and cracking his knuckles.<p>

"What the hell man?" Frank rubbed his jaw.

Just as things began to calm down, the front door opened up and SunRose walked in, soaking wet from the rain like she was when she entered the hospital. She took off her raincoat and walked over to the others,  
>"Sabre_Mace is doing fine. What's going on here?"<p>

Roth stood up, "SunRose, don't bother with-"

"Hey, you should let me grope you a bit." Frank smiled at SunRose.

SunRose shrieked and hid behind Roth, who was even angrier than before, "Out." He shouted and pointed to the door.

Frank stood up, "Ya can't kick me out!"

"Just did. Get out and come back when you're sane."

The two stared at each other while Garfunkel continued playing cards like nothing happened. Finally, Frank picked up SunRose's raincoat and marched out into the street, nowhere to go with all the rain closing most of the businesses in the city.

"Is he gonna be fine?" SunRose asked.

"Don't worry about him. Are you hungry?" Roth asked.

SunRose sat at the counter, "Actually, I ate with Sabre_Mace."

"How is he? I hope he's doing fine."

Twiddling her thumbs, SunRose thought back to the bizarre behavior she saw in her friend, "He acted strange the entire time I was there. He said that he wasn't hurt and felt safe with the moon."

Roth stared at SunRose, lost for words, "I don't even understand."

"Neither do I. Maybe if someone else visited him."

Roth nodded with a smile, "Yeah maybe…" He trailed off before his eyes shot wide open, "Damn it, Frank."

* * *

><p>"Alright, are you Sabre_Mace?" An old man with gray hair in a white lab coat asked. He stood beside Sabre_Mace's bed, a young nurse beside him and a couple of papers in his hand.<p>

Sabre_Mace sighed, "Yes and there is nothing wrong with me."

The doctor shook his head, "Now don't be too sure of these things. How do you feel?"

"I feel fine. I feel perfect. Hell, I feel better than perfect!" Sabre_Mace shouted, sitting up in his bed, "Can I please leave? I have things I need to take care of."

"You're not going anywhere until we successfully figure out what is going on with you. Now, any odd feelings lately?" The doctor asked, flipping through the papers.

Sabre_Mace was beginning to shake his head before he thought back to that morning, "Well, I do remember shaking uncontrollably this morning."

"Really? Like a seizure or panic attack?"

"I dunno. I shook horribly and then…" He remembered Echo and clenched his fist, "then it just randomly stopped. I felt so calm and just stared at the moon until I fell asleep. I felt safe from then on."

The doctor nodded, "Safe, eh? Well, that's good. We might need to run some tests on you to determine the cause of this seizure type activity. You can call me Dr. Zenith. I'll be in my office if you ever need me." He said and turned around.

Just as they opened the door to leave, Frank appeared, looking wasted and drenched in water from the pouring rain. He stared Zenith in the eye like he was sleep walking before turning and seeing Sabre_Mace, "Yo, Sabre_Mace!"

"Goddamn it." Sabre_Mace groaned and lay back down.

"Looks like you have a visitor, Mr. Mace. Good luck." Zenith said and left with his nurse, letting Frank enter into the room.

Frank walked over to Sabre_Mace and patted him on the shoulder, "Great job working through this. Must be tough being killed or something."

"I'm alive and you look drunk. Have you been drinking again?" Sabre_Mace rolled his eyes and got to his feet. He adjusted his dress pants and black beater while staring out the window, trying to find the bar that everyone was staying at.

"What? No I have." Frank said and fell onto the hospital bed, "Sabre, Ross won't let me sleep with Serenade. Can you put him in time out or…" He was dozing off.

Sabre_Mace pushed Frank off the bed and onto the chair, "Just leave Serenade alone. She's probably already pissed that you are acting like this. You were such the gentlemen when we met you and now you're this inconsiderate, horny loser. What happened?"

Throwing his arms in the air, Frank walked over to the window and sat by the wall, "Fine, be that way. Don't understand why I get all the hate when Roth is being a dick too."

"Roth isn't being bad, he's being sensible," Sabre_Mace got back in bed before realizing something, "but now that you mention it, Roth has changed. He seemed like some careless freak… Like you, but now he's this honorable person. I wonder what happened."

"Roth has a girlfriend." Frank said, leaning his head to the right.

"He does? Who?"

"Some chick. No one knows who she is but she's hot. I'd bang."

"Shut the hell up and get out if you're gonna act like that. I won't tolerate your stupidity here." Sabre_Mace said and pointed to the door.

Frank stood up and dragged himself to the door, "See ya, Sabre."

Sabre_Mace stood up and shut the door, rolling his eyes at the fact that he actually just had that conversation.

* * *

><p>Serenade had moved to her room after Frank left. She slept soundly for nearly half an hour before a knock on her door jolted her awake with surprise. She sat up and looked at the door, "Who is it?"<p>

"It's Harrison. We need to talk."

Quickly she put on her slippers and opened the door to see her boss standing before her, a look of guilt on his face, "Is something the matter?"

"It's the shop."

"I thought we were closed today."

"We are, but it's not that. It's our inventory," Harrison began to shout slightly before taking a lavender flower from his raincoat pocket, "where in Notch's name did you get this?"

Serenade stepped back, "I-I…"

"Spill it. Where have you been getting your flowers? My flowers! Where have you been taking these flowers from?" Harrison shouted loudly.

Roth sprinted upstairs to see what the problem was and saw Harrison approaching Serenade, "Excuse me, what are you doing? We said it would be a short visit, not this."

Harrison turned around and looked furiously at Roth, "This woman is a criminal!"

"Sir, I would like to kindly ask you to remove yourself from this building now," Roth said, removing his sword from its sheath and pointing it at Harrison, who stared at the tip of the blade with worry.

After having a short tussle over whether he should stay with Serenade and risk getting killed or leaving alive, he walked over to the stairs and took another look at Serenade, "I'll be seeing you soon." He growled and walked downstairs with loud stomps.

Roth sighed and sheathed his sword again, "What was that about?"

Serenade shrugged her shoulders and rushed past Roth, running downstairs and out of sight of him.

"What?" Roth scratched his head, "And Frank loves her?"


	11. 1 10 Fearing Truth

**Again, yet another longer than expected break from the story. I do plan to update a bit more often for the rest of the Babylon story arc but after that I might take another break. There are only three chapters after this one so be sure to check those out when I upload them.**

**Also, if you're interested in submitting ideas for stories in the world of Anascentia, I'm taking ideas for a forthcoming collection of stories called "Tales of Anascentia". I already have a few submissions, mostly for those who either don't want to write or can't write it.**

**This chapter isn't as big or important as others but it is sort of a breather as the story arc comes to a close. The next chapter I write is going to be quite a big one so expect that.**

**As always, if you enjoy what you read then submit a review. And again, I do not own Minecraft.**

* * *

><p>A starry night following a rainstorm is common in Babylon. It is when the citizens of the floating city gather together to share the moment and talk amongst themselves. "A sort of monthly social gathering" as foreigners called it.<p>

As everyone gathered together outside in the central square, SunRose sat on the Home Sky Ale House window sill and watched, "So we have to stay inside? Why is that?"

"It's better to not get wrapped up in the business of people we won't know for much longer," Serenade explained, poking her fork at a plate of pork on the bar counters, "haven't had pork in a while."

"Eat up then," Frank sighed, sitting at the far end of the counter, "we'll want to get out of this city as soon as Sabre_Mace gets better and the Balloon Depot opens up again. Speaking of which, did they ever catch the Redstone Rebels that caused the incident?"

Everyone looked at the other end of the counter at Roth, who was cleaning his sword very carefully. He threw the wash cloth in a bucket of water next to him and looked at Frank, "How should I know? Just because I'm a figure of authority in Imperial City doesn't mean I'll know what's going on in Babylon. It's as simple as that."

Frank shrugged and looked at SunRose, who was still watching the crowd outside. He noticed quite a few people giving her strange looks and walking away, "SunRose, you should come over here and stop bothering them."

SunRose turned around and walked to the bar, "How am I bothering them? I'm just watching. People back in Imperial City didn't have this sort of problem."

"Imperial City is far different from Babylon, SunRose. Imperial City was built only to govern while Babylon was built for civilization long ago. They are going to house different people." Roth said and began examining his sword, noting how it was shining under the light much better than before.

Serenade patted SunRose on the shoulder, "Don't worry. I had trouble coming to terms with these people when I studied at the university as well. You'll get to like them better as time goes on."

"I hope so," SunRose sighed and walked to the stairs leading upstairs, "I don't like this city that much." She muttered to herself and began ascending to the upper level.

* * *

><p>The hospital was mostly empty as the clerks and interns had left to join in the gathering in the central square. The only remaining people left were the patients, which included Sabre_Mace.<p>

Still hospitalized after the trembling he experienced the day before, the young user stood up and began running up and down the hall, getting his energy back from lounging around for the past couple of days. All the other patients on that floor just watched as he went up and down the hallway for nearly ten minutes.

As he came to a stop back at his room, he heard footsteps on the staircase beside him and saw Garfunkel with a bag full of bread, "Bought this for you, Master Mace. You should be in bed."

Sabre_Mace grabbed the bag with a smile, "Thanks, old man, but I'm actually not hurt. The doctors are just examining a strange incident from yesterday. Felt like a seizure or something but they are still worried."

"But it is still a terrible idea to be out of bed," Garfunkel advised, pushing Sabre_Mace to his bed and opening the bag of bread to take a piece out, "what have you been doing here anyway?"

Taking a bite of his bread, Sabre_Mace began to recount how his last couple of days have gone, "Nothing much. It is really just sitting and waiting around. I will go to the food court downstairs for food and such but on my free time I just think, run down the hall, and look at the moon."

"The moon?" Garfunkel began thinking to when SunRose returned from her visit, "I dare say, I think Miss SunRose mentioned something along those lines while Master Frank and I partook in a game of cards."

"Cards?" Sabre_Mace scratched his chin, "You weren't drinking, were you?"

Garfunkel chuckled, "Well, maybe a little but that is beside the point, Master Mace. What is this about the moon?"

Sabre_Mace took another piece of bread and walked over to his window, where the moon was beginning to set after a terribly hard rain, "I honestly don't know. While sitting in bed throughout the night I would only see the moon in the sky with the stars surrounding it. Something about it… Something about it makes me feel safe. Like I'm never alone."

"And that makes you feel safe? That you're never alone?"

"Not entirely. I've always thought of the sun being sort of negative energy and the moon being positive. The sun… you can't look at it and it is so bright you can't decide what to make of it," Sabre_Mace explained, leaning against the window, "but the moon… it is so bright and beautiful that you can look at it all you want and feel at peace. I love that peace."

Garfunkel sat there in the chair, jaw dropped from the awe-inspiring words that his immature partner said, "My word, Master Mace, that was astounding and yet weird. What has gotten into you? You've never seemed this open to me before."

"I dunno. I guess I'm just growing up is all," Sabre_Mace smiled and walked back to bed where he grabbed the bag of bread and set it on the floor, "but enough about me. How is everyone doing?"

Picking up the bag and examining the insides but only finding the crumbs of bread left, Garfunkel sighed and threw the bag in the nearby trash can, "Oh, they're all doing quite dandy. Serenade has a job and Roth has a girlfriend."

Sabre_Mace nodded, being brought back to the latter matter, "Yeah, what's up with that? Who is this girl? Frank mentioned Roth being in a relationship but he was drunk and mumbling. Wasn't sure if he was speaking the truth."

"Well, we don't know that much, to be completely truthful. We saw the two love birds a couple of nights ago. The day you were brought into here, I recall. She was rather pretty but that was it. We never saw her again," Garfunkel said and stood up, "I need to be getting back to the pub. Someone else will come to visit later, I presume."

The door creaked open again, jolting Sabre_Mace completely awake and reminding him of Echo's visit. Just as Garfunkel was closing the door, Sabre_Mace jumped out of his bed and opened it back up, "Garfunkel, hold on." He said in a panicked tone.

Garfunkel turned around, surprised by the young user's sudden energy, "What's the matter, Master Mace? I can send more bread later. You need your rest."

"Forget the bread. I need to know if…" He thought back to Echo and his seemingly calm personality yet cruel way of handling criminals, "if a man has ever come by the pub."

"A man? What sort of man?"

"He's tall and has a blue kimono. Long black hair, too, I think."

"No, I don't think I remember seeing such a lad. Who is he?"

Sabre_Mace sighed with relief, "Um, no one. If he ever does come by, though… don't let him inside."

"What?" Garfunkel was disturbed by those last words as Sabre_Mace abruptly shut the door. The elderly user turned to the stairs and began to notice himself tremble slightly, "Oh boy, that Master Mace… giving me the willies with his stories."

* * *

><p>Mid morning was upon Babylon rather fast. Time seemed to pass so quickly with the non-stop activity from the social gathering in the central square. Inside the Home Sky Ale House, it seemed almost no life was present even when there were four living users all at the bar counter.<p>

Frank yawned and lay down on the counter, "Where did this owner dude go? Maybe when he gets back this place won't be like a cemetery."

"It shouldn't matter. We'll be out of here before long," Roth said, tying up his sword handle with brand new leather but glancing at Serenade, who was sitting two stools away from Frank, occasionally, "Serenade, who was that man that was here before? That I had to kick out myself?"

Serenade's eyes shot open in remembrance of the bizarre event, "That man? Oh, he… I knew him from my work. We don't exactly get along very well."

"From your work, you say?" Roth stood up and leaned on the bar counter, "The only other person that you work with is your boss, am I right? Was that your boss that came by?"

"Maybe."

"Was he your boss or not?" Roth became more concerned.

"Look, you shouldn't be worrying about it, alright? He's gone. So maybe he is my boss. That's my business though!" Serenade shouted at Roth.

The Imperial guard stepped back, trembling from this girl's unusual rage, "But Serenade, if you are in danger than I need to know! We can't allow anyone else to get hurt."

Serenade sighed and sat down, "After Wheat, right?"

"Wheat? Who's this Wheat?" Frank asked.

Roth and Serenade looked at each other before shaking their heads. Frank dropped the topic immediately, "How much longer do we have to wait around now? I'm getting sick and tired of Sabre_Mace and his awful injuries."

"Those weren't injuries," SunRose interrupted as she entered into the room from the stairs, "he isn't hurt. But the doctors still want to check up on a few strange occurrences."

"Occurrences? Like what, exactly?" Roth was intrigued.

SunRose sat down beside Frank and began twiddling her thumbs, "I'm not entirely sure but that's what he said at least. He would only stare at the moon, like I said, and nothing else. It worries me that he might not be getting the proper treatment he needs. If that is the case then we'll never get to-"

The front doors to the bar flew open. SunRose turned around along with the other three and saw a tall man in a blue kimono enter in, shutting the doors behind him and approaching SunRose, "You are so delicate, Madame. I would like to know your name."

"M-My name?" SunRose stuttered.

Roth drew his sword and pointed it at Echo, "Excuse me, but who do you think you are to walk in here like that? SunRose, do you know this man?"

SunRose shook her head nervously.

The man grabbed her hand and felt her palm with his finger, "SunRose… It is indeed September of Love…"

"What exactly are you doing to this child?" Frank asked, not distressed even the slightest by the situation.

"I am merely seeing if this is the one that I have envisioned."

Frank shook his head and walked to the stairs, "Pedo."

"Sir, I would like you to step back now." Roth demanded.

The man nodded and stepped backwards, "You seem like a determined one. Are you perhaps an Imperial Knight?"

Roth scratched his shoulder, "Well, I'm not a knight but I've always wanted to be one. What does that have to do with anything? Who are you?"

The man smiled, "You can call me Echo. I was just interested in seeing how you guys were doing with all that's happened."

"What's happened? The Balloon Depot and stuff?" Serenade was confused now.

Echo turned to the front doors and began to exit, "I was just interested in who Sabre_Mace's friends were. That's all." He disappeared outside.

Roth ran to the front, shoving the door open, "Wait!"

But he was too late. Echo was gone.

"He knows Sabre_Mace?" SunRose walked over to Roth who remained outside.

Just as the two were about to enter back into the pub Garfunkel came running to the door, sliding inside past Roth, "Oh thank goodness. I thought I was going to be locked out again!"

"Again? Garfunkel, these doors can't lock." Roth explained as he closed the doors, "How's Sabre_Mace?"

Garfunkel took a seat at the counter and began to take off his shoes, "Well, he's definitely doing well. He does seem rather fascinated with the moon but that's all that I find out of the ordinary. I think Master Mace should be out by at least tomorrow or the day after."

"And then we can leave?" Frank excitedly ran down the stairs.

"Did you just go upstairs for no reason?" Serenade remarked on Frank's sudden reappearance.

Frank rolled his eyes, "Nah, I was just creeped out by that pedo dude."

"Excuse me?" Garfunkel was caught off guard by that random remark.

"There was some dude that came by here just now. He was a real creeper, touching SunRose and all. He said he knew  
>Sabre_Mace or something." Frank explained as he walked into the backroom.<p>

Garfunkel became stiff, "What did this man look like?"

"He had this blue dress thing. His hair was also too long for a guy." SunRose said.

"Damn it!" Garfunkel shouted.

Frank ran out of the back room, "Did the old man just curse?"

Roth stepped back and stared at Garfunkel with worry, "Something the matter?"

Garfunkel rubbed his head thoroughly, taking deep breaths, "Master Mace… Before I left he warned me of a gentleman in a blue kimono. I'm afraid that this man who came by was who he was speaking of."

"How exactly did he warn you of him?" Roth asked.

"He outright ordered me to not let this man inside the bar. I'm afraid we've already failed him in this." Garfunkel sighed and sat back down, his anger finally calming down.

Roth stood by the door, thinking heavily before swinging them open, "I'm going to see Sabre_Mace and get this sorted out. I think we might be getting mixed signals here. Everyone wait here and in the unlikely chance that that man comes back-"

"Don't let him in. We got it." Frank said.

Roth nodded and exited the pub.

* * *

><p>The hospital was now bustling with business after the social gathering had ended. Doctors were dealing patients, chefs were making that day's lunch, and the patients could only sit by and let the world work for them. Sabre_Mace wasn't letting that happen; he was running again.<p>

As he stepped forward, preparing to go on his fifteenth time down the hall and back, he felt a finger tap him on the shoulder. He spun around and came face to face with Roth, who he realized was almost the same height as him, "Oh, Roth. What are you doing here?"

"Nothing much. How are you doing?" Roth asked, leading Sabre_Mace back to his hospital room.

"That isn't what I asked."

Roth sat down in the chair, "Why don't you take a seat."

Sabre_Mace raised an eyebrow and sat down on his bed, "What's this all about? I thought Frank's visit was weird but this… this is something else."

"Sabre_Mace, who was this Echo fellow?"

The two stared at each other in silence. Sabre_Mace's right eye began twitching slightly before he looked to the window, where the moon was absent, "I… I…"

"Look at me, man. Who is he?" Roth leaned forward and put his hand on his friend's knee.

Sabre_Mace sighed, "He's… He's no one you need to worry about."

Roth stood up and looked Sabre_Mace in the eye, "Tell me who he is this minute. I'm not going to deal with your lies. How do you know him? Why did he come by the pub just now?"

"You let him inside!" Sabre_Mace pushed Roth aside and began pacing the room nervously.

"Why are you so worried about him? I know you're hiding something and I want to know now before someone gets hurt. Who is he?" Roth demanded to know.

"Listen to me, Roth," Sabre_Mace began, grabbing Roth by the collar and holding him up against the wall, "if you ever bother to figure out just who he is then someone will get hurt! I'd suggest you stop snooping in other people's business and calm the hell down!"

Roth pushed Sabre_Mace back, "What has gotten into you? Is this hospital driving you that crazy?"

Sabre_Mace stumbled over to the window, "Get out now."

Without another word, Roth exited the room in a hurry, slamming the door shut behind him. Sabre_Mace sat down against the wall, agitated by that visit.  
><em><br>What am I becoming?_ He thought to himself.


	12. 1 11 Give Me Another

**This is probably the longest chapter in a while and of the Babylon story arc thus far.**

**To be honest, this has been one of my favorite chapters to write, primarily for the character interactions, but I'll leave you to make your own judgments and thoughts. As I've already said in the previous two chapters, I'm currently taking submissions and suggestions for "Tales of Anascentia"; I've gotten some really good ones too. If you are thinking of suggesting a story or what not, then keep in mind that I already have set timeline for the events of Anascentia. If you submit an idea that may conflict with the server's past, then you'll be given the option to take back the story altogether or let me configure it slightly to fit into Anascentia.**

**Enough with that, though. The next two chapters are sort of a finale for the Babylon story arc and the first part of the story. I still don't know how many chapters this story will go for.**

**Like always, submit a review if you enjoy the story. I do not own Minecraft.**

* * *

><p>The Home Sky Ale House may have been barren of customers ever since the beginning of the strange crimes in Babylon, but its competitor, the Smokehouse Bolding Brew, was becoming quite the attraction. Every night for that week the pub was packed with customers eager to get their drink on and have a good time.<p>

By the time the week was coming to a close, however, business began to die down. Fewer and fewer customers were coming in until there were only around five or six in the bar during the night. Most of these gentlemen would sit at the booths by the wall in either a depressed mood or just have nowhere else to go. Sabre_Mace wasn't sure why he was there.

Sitting at the counter with tall, empty glass in front of him, he covered his head in a brown robe that he was wearing. The bartender stared at him before walking over and picking up the glass, "Would you like a refill, sir?"

"Yes please. I would like that." Sabre_Mace said, clenching the rough texture of the robe. He anxiously looked around, at the booths and out the windows, to see if the doctors, his friends, or Echo were nearby. If they were, he would have to exit immediately. He wasn't even sure where he would go from there.

The bartender turned to a drink fountain behind him where he refilled the glass with ice and cola. Sabre_Mace grabbed it and sipped it slowly while the bartender backed away. "You… enjoy that, sir." He commented and went into the back room.

Sabre_Mace chuckled while taking a big gulp of the cola. He hadn't tasted anything this good since who knows when! The only type of drink he got in the hospital was milk and that wasn't exactly the freshest thing he'd ever tasted.

While gulping, he stared as the black drink began to disappear and the bottom of the cup was visible. The bell at the front door rung as another customer entered. Sabre_Mace was too lost in his enjoyment to check who had just come in. As he finished, he slammed the glass onto the counter. Everyone in the bar jumped at the loud noise it had caused and were surprised that it didn't break.

"Not the smartest thing you've done, sneaking out from your caretakers like this." The man who had just entered the bar said as he took a seat beside Sabre_Mace. The bartender emerged from the back room again with a bunch of bags of tea in his hand. He immediately began brewing some tea for whatever reason.

"Never expected to meet you here," Sabre_Mace sighed, pushing his glass forward and removing his brown hood, "Echo."  
>Echo chuckled as the bartender handed him his tea, "The only place in Babylon that makes proper tea. Disappointing, to be honest."<p>

The bartender refilled Sabre_Mace's glass without question.

Slowly removing his blue kimono from his body, Sabre_Mace looked over as Echo was only wearing a black costume of robes tied around his body. He set the kimono on the chair beside him and sipped his steaming tea, "Not afraid of me anymore, Isaac?"

Sabre_Mace stared at his glass silently before removing his brown robe and throwing it on the chair beside him, "No. I have no reason to be."

"Thank goodness. I was worried you would never grow out of that phase. You had me scared. Never before have I encountered someone as stubborn as you when it comes to hate," Echo said as he calmly tapped the counter for attention, "excuse me sir, but could I please have a spoon? Stirring my tea always makes me feel comfortable when drinking it."

The bartender nodded and grabbed a spoon from beside the drink fountain behind him. Sabre_Mace watched in interest as Echo stirred his tea slowly, the steam beginning to disappear gradually, "How does that work?"

"Excuse me?"

Sabre_Mace pointed to the spoon, "How does stirring your drink make you feel comfortable?"

Echo nodded and sipped his tea, "Well, let me start by asking you a similar question. How does the moon make you feel comfortable? Your friends are dying to know. Why not give them a straight forward answer?"

"I have. They just don't listen." Sabre_Mace explained.

"Explain it to me like I'm a little boy," Echo said as he tossed the spoon behind the counter, it landing back in the tub of spoons beside the drink fountain perfectly, "imagine that I'm your son and I'm only around five years old. Explain it to me."

"I'm surprised you want to know so badly. You're the spiritual one."

"And you're not. That's why I want to know."

The bells on the front door rang again. A couple entered in while Sabre_Mace directed his attention to them. They seemed so close and lovable as they took their seats at a booth in the corner. "I guess I feel purpose or… or love or hope or something from it."

Echo looked at the couple slowly before looking back Sabre_Mace, "Sounds rather cliché. Want to try again?"

"I'm being honest. I feel love, that's all."

The two stared at each other before Echo turned back to his tea, "Interesting. You're one of those people. The kinds of people that seem so brooding and unapproachable yet have this feeling inside of them that they can't express. It's September of Love, Isaac; might as well make the most of it."

Sabre_Mace sipped his cola and looked around the bar for anymore couples, "Maybe it's because I'm not spiritual or follow the Flower Zodiac, but I don't exactly feel anything from this month. How am I supposed to feel?"

"Like you're in love. The name says it all; September of Love. Why, I'm certain there is someone out there for you." Echo said, finishing off his tea and throwing the tea bag into a trash can behind the counter.

"Probably not. If I'm not a part of this world I shouldn't feel love."

"But you just said that you feel love."

Sabre_Mace groaned and pounded his fist on the table, "I… I guess I'm not being clear. The moon makes me feel love but everywhere else I feel empty. Maybe I just enjoy the feeling of love or something. Goddamn it, I hate the way I'm talking."

"I see. You know, how about that girl SunRose? What do you think of her? She seems like someone that would make sense for you."  
>"You've got to be kidding me. Are you actually saying this? Hell, how do even know SunRose?" Sabre_Mace put his head in his hands and began to think back to the all the times he had actually had some sort of a strong bond with her. He couldn't exactly remember anything like that besides after they left the mines before Exile's attack.<p>

"I'm not kidding around. Think about it for a second, would you?" Echo said, leaning on Sabre_Mace with his elbow, "She's elegant and quite beautiful. And if you want something to really work your gears, she's sort of like the sun and you're the moon. You two are intertwined somehow."

Sabre_Mace sat up abruptly, nearly pushing Echo out of his chair, "If I'm the moon and she's the sun, then we're opposites."

"In that way of thinking. However, if you look at it in a different perspective then you might have a change of thought. The moon and sun are sort of important; they are a guide, a light for us. They both work together to bring us the day and night system. Therefore, they are relevant to each other," Echo explained, remembering back to when he met SunRose in the Home Sky Ale House, "her name says it all, too. SunRose; like the sun and moon, and the rose which represents September. It makes sense, right?"

"You're talking nonsense."

"I'm speaking the truth. Answer me this last question, Isaac; how would you feel if SunRose was with someone else? If you had to watch her hug someone else and tell that man that she loved him?"

Sabre_Mace tensed up.

* * *

><p>As evening gave way to night, the stars began shining. Everyone looked up, crowded around in the central square as they were closer to them than anyone else. This gave Babylon one of its nicknames, "The City of Stars" and "The City of the Sky", which makes obvious sense.<p>

Slowly making her way through the crowd, smaller than everyone else, was SunRose. She emerged on the opposite side of the square than the Home Sky Ale House, looking out to see Serenade at the flower shop that she worked at with Harrison. "Serenade!" She called out.

Serenade, who was leaning on the stand with her arms, looked over and shook her head, "I'm not going back. I'm busy right now. Tell Garfunkel I'll be gone overnight."

"But you've been out here for hours already!"

She stood up and faced SunRose, "Doesn't make a difference." She said and walked into the building behind the shop, belonging to Harrison.

Without much else to do outside, SunRose made her way back to the pub where Garfunkel and Frank were waiting at the counter. She entered in and sat beside Frank as Garfunkel was cooking up something for dinner on the stove in the back, "Serenade, are you there?" Garfunkel called, leaving the frying pan unattended.

"Just me. She says she's busy." SunRose said.

Frank turned around and looked at the large clump of the people in the central square, "Great, so it's just us three and we're stuck in here because people in this city don't know how to walk. Where did Roth go again? With his girlfriend?"

"I think her name was Eden or something," SunRose tried to remember, "but either way, we can leave tomorrow. Right, Garfunkel? Sabre_Mace is let off tomorrow?"

Garfunkel entered from the back with a stack of plates, wearing a pink apron, "Master Mace is expected to recover by tomorrow or the day after. We just need to be patient. You two don't have to stay put here, you know."

"Where else would I go, old man? All I've accomplished here is getting drunk." Frank sighed as he was handed a plate.  
>The steaming pan of what seemed to be stir fry was then brought out and set on the counter. Garfunkel took out a large spoon and began viciously stirring it, sauce getting all over the counter, "Go sightseeing. Take Miss SunRose here on a date."<br>SunRose gulped loudly.

"She's too young, old man. Also, quit getting that stuff everywhere. If I want to make a good impression on Serenade when she gets back I have to stay clean." Frank explained.

"Yep, stay clean on your clothing and of alcohol." SunRose chuckled as she began eating the stir fry that was dumped on her plate.

"I can drink all I want. Serenade doesn't give a rat's ass if I drink or not so neither should you."

"Last time you got drunk you wanted to bang first Serenade, then me, then both of us. You were mentally sick when you're drunk and that is why she doesn't like you."

Garfunkel wiped his face of the stir fry sauce, "Well, this food is absolutely atrocious. I'll be in the Babylon Library if any of you need me."

Frank jumped up and grabbed on Garfunkel as he left, "Wait, what? Take me with you!"

"You wouldn't like what I'm doing. You don't exactly seem like the sort of guy who would like the library. I'm just going to study this Diamond Compass and where we're going after this." Garfunkel said, pushing Frank off of him and opening the door.

"One question before you leave."

"Go ahead." Garfunkel leaned against the open door.

Frank approached him, "When did we start fighting this war?"

Garfunkel pushed Frank back a bit, "What do you mean, Master Frank?"

"I'm talking about this stuff with the Redstone Rebellion. You guys came here to learn stuff from Lazarus and all of sudden you're planning on taking Obsidian666 on! Where did this sudden burst of enthusiasm to take them down come from?"

Garfunkel shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe you could have some of it, though." He said and left, slamming the door shut behind him.

As Frank was about to sit down, he noticed SunRose getting up and walking to the door, "And where are you going? Just gonna leave me here alone?"

"I'm going to see Sabre_Mace. He's probably feeling lonely since Serenade didn't visit. Try to, I don't know, fix yourself while you're here. You seem like a wreck since you got drunk our first night here." SunRose said and left.

Frank sat there, dumbfounded about where to go from there. "Great, who the hell am I supposed to complain to now?" He said before dragging himself upstairs and into his bedroom.

* * *

><p>Since the hospital was to the far north of Babylon, in the same direction as Aquarius Mountain, the street wasn't as packed as others. The general consensus by the public was that the mountain was cursed because of the Redstone inside of it. SunRose wasn't bothered by this since there seemed to be no problem whatsoever other than the rumor of rebels being in the city. She hurried to the hospital entrance.<p>

As she reached to open the door, she heard loud giggling. It was high pitched with a quiet male voice along with it. She turned around and stared across the street to a bench where both Roth and Eden sat, talking and laughing with each other.

"She seems nice." SunRose said to herself, staring at them with interest.

Roth looked from Eden to across the street at SunRose and waved, "Hey, SunRose! Come over here and meet Eden!"

Though reluctant at first, SunRose crossed the street and smiled at Roth's new girlfriend, "It's… nice to meet you, Eden. Where do you come from?"

Eden looked up and smiled right back at SunRose, though the look in her eye seemed off putting to SunRose at first, "Oh, I come from a town called Polis Terra. It's all the way across those mountains in the south, near Young Port."

"Hm. Never heard of that before. When did you come to Babylon?"

"Well, I came to study at the college a few weeks ago but dropped out and now I've been trying to find work. Roth suggested that I might be able to go with you guys and your friends to wherever you go next!" Eden said excitedly.

SunRose nodded slowly and turned to Roth, "Where are we going exactly?"

Roth looked back and forth between the two and their awkward conversation, "Well, we're not certain but I think we might be heading back to Imperial City. We could settle down there if you want, Eden."

"That sounds lovely." Eden laughed.

SunRose nodded and waved good-bye, walking down the street in the direction that she came from. Something about the way Eden laughed that last time had confused her; it was a lower laugh, sort of a snort.

"Why does this bug me?" SunRose giggled to herself.

* * *

><p>Most of the customers of the Smokehouse Bolding Brew were gone as the time began to get closer to eight o'clock. Only a few remained and they were either incredibly drunk or in a serious discussion. Sabre_Mace and Echo were the latter case, going through multiple cups of tea and cola and still demanding more.<p>

"Say, how old is that gray haired man in your group? He seems a bit too old to be travelling across the desert." Echo began stirring his tea again. The front bells rang as more customers left.

"To be honest, I don't know. The subject never came up since it was never important. He's probably in his fifties or something, but I get what you're saying." Sabre_Mace replied, finishing off his eighth glass of cola and demanding more.

Echo sipped his tea slowly before setting down and sighing in disappointment, "This tea is inferior to the others. It has to be either better or equal. Quite a disappointment, I have to say."

"You've had enough. Don't complain like that."

"Wouldn't you? It helps these folks behind the counter get better. Besides, you can't have enough tea. It's all natural. There is no such thing as too much nature." Echo said, handing the cup of tea to the bartender who was quite annoyed by the remaining guests who seemed to not be planning on leaving anytime soon.

Sabre_Mace stood up and stretched, "Not much nature around here anyway. Well, I mean in the desert below. Just constant sand. No trees or anything until you get to Imperial City or wherever else there might be trees. I've never explored Anascentia in depth."

"I wish I could take you. I've travelled to almost every corner of this world and have encountered some interesting folks along the way. I met my girlfriend in the remains of a town by Young Port and together we actually took down an Endersend." Echo recalled the event in his head.

"You took down an Endersend? What was it like?"

Echo began tapping the counter, trying to remember in detail what happened, "I'm not too familiar with it now but I can remember that the Endersend was called Vepar. We had encountered him while we tried to sail to an island off the coast of southeast Anascentia. We killed him but he created a storm that destroyed our ship and pushed us back to mainland. That was long ago, though, so I can't remember all of it."

"Huh, interesting. Is that where you got your weapon?"

"What do you mean?"

Sabre_Mace turned Echo in his chair and grabbed his right arm, feeling the spear gun attached to his forearm, "Your weapon. Your spear gun. Did you use it to kill the Endersend?"

Echo thought about it before nodding, "I actually think you're right. Vepar was a dark fish or mermaid. On the ship most of the crew had either gone overboard or were in hiding. My girl and I vowed to stand and fight and I was able to put together a crude spear gun. After seeing how effective it was compared to the katana I used prior to it," He said, feeling the spear gun as well, "I decided to develop it more. Thanks for helping me remember."

"Yeah, I don't have much to brag about. I only have a diamond sword. It's not even mine, either," Sabre_Mace said, patting the sheathed weapon to his side, "I don't know why they didn't take it from me in the hospital. Seems like something they should have or would have done."

"You never know. Places like Babylon have the strangest folks. I still prefer Yggdrasils people, though; a bunch of peaceful vagabonds and adventurers. Most of them led me to begin following the Flower Zodiac myself, actually." Echo reached into a pocket on his kimono and pulled out a note. He unraveled it and passed it on the counter to Sabre_Mace.

The young user picked up the note and began looking it over, "What is Yggdrasil?"

Echo took back the note, "Back towards the beginning of Anascentia a war had divided the Endermen and the users. When the war finally came to an end thanks to a hero called Archer the Sovereign, the city of Babylon, which was used as a capital by the users, was raised into the sky while Yggdrasil, used by the Endermen, stayed on the ground. Many believe that Yggdrasil once was in the sky as well but that is pure speculation. The remains of the town are still where they are and most people without a home go there to live."

"Sounds wonderful," Sabre_Mace thought about living with other peaceful people instead of wealthy users bent on war, "I wish I could go there."

"I wish I could take you. There are so many places throughout Anascentia that you haven't seen that are incredible. I've lived almost everywhere besides Imperial City and, for the record, I don't plan to go there."

"Why not?"

Echo cleared his throat, "Spirituality and government don't exactly correlate in my eyes. Have you ever encountered someone who follows the Flower Zodiac in Imperial City?"

"No, I haven't actually thought about religion at all since you brought the zodiac up."

"The reason why those who follow the zodiac don't live in Imperial City is because governmental dominancy is something of a negative impact on our beliefs. The Flower Zodiac is all about freedom and peace but these wars that come out of Imperial City don't exactly fall into either of those. It's pretty simple, I think." Echo explained.

Sabre_Mace looked at the note on the counter in front of Echo, "So that note is from your girlfriend?"

Echo nodded, "She had to go to Young Port to meet with someone while I wait here. I received this recently and expect her soon."

"That's nice."

"September of Love, Isaac. September of Love."

* * *

><p>Southern Babylon was known for both its housing and its fine dining. Most of the top restaurants in the floating city were located in the southern districts and were the most popular destinations for couples who wished to treat themselves to a night on the town.<p>

By far the most famous restaurant in both Babylon and perhaps all of Anascentia was the Red Island Roost. Known for its large menu and incredible service, it was almost always booked and packed to the brim. On this night, though, Roth was surprised by Eden's ability to get them in when they were almost completely booked.

As the pair took their seats at a table in the middle of the room, a waitress began serving them immediately. Their orders were placed in just the first minute that they had gotten there. Roth was humbly pleased with the service of this restaurant.

"You look nice." He complimented Eden on her purple dress.

"You too." She complimented his black tux that he had rented.

The two sat there, staring at each other.

"This is nice." Roth said.

"It's my favorite place in the city."

"Do you live here?"

A waiter arrived at their table, "May I help you both to some drinks?"

Roth shook his head, "We already placed our order, thanks."

The waiter nodded and walked away.

"What's up with that?" Roth pointed to the waiter as he awkwardly walked away, occasionally staring back at the couple.

"That's just the way that this restaurant works. The servers expect the uttermost respect from us. You've got to be polite and not turn them down." Eden said as a waitress brought them their drinks.

"Well, I already turned someone down in our first five minutes here."

Eden laughed while drinking her water, "Don't worry. You said it yourself, we're probably going to be heading to Imperial City soon anyways."

"So I guess my question was pointless then."

"What question?"

Roth sipped his water, avoiding the awkward development of the conversation, "Don't worry about it. So, um… what do you want to do? I mean, as a profession or… something. What do you dream of becoming?"

"Why?"

"Just curious."

"Well, I have always wanted to become a preacher."

Roth nearly spat his water all over her, "What!"

"Is there something wrong?"

Roth shook his head, "No, nothing's wrong. Just… caught me off guard."

"Do you dislike me becoming a preacher?"

A waitress came by and refilled both their glasses as Roth began stumbling for words, "It's just that I'm not exactly the most religious of people. What religion do you follow?"

"The Flower Zodiac."

"The what?"

"It's a spiritual path that some people take by pairing up flourishing flowers with the months. We believe in the flowers more than anything," Eden said as she reached to an empty table beside her. She pulled out a rose from a glass of water in the middle of the table and handed it to Roth, "like right now it's September of Love. Perfect time for us, right?"

Roth took the flower and sniffed it, "I guess so."

"What about you? Do you follow the Flower Zodiac?"

"I didn't even know what the hell that was. But I guess I don't exactly believe in anything… like some people talk nonsense about Herobrine or Notch and stuff but they don't understand that some people think of the evolution of Endermen into users. Does that make both of us atheists in a sense?" Roth pondered.

Eden grabbed the rose, "Maybe, but maybe not. Depends on if that's what you want to go by. Not everyone is going to appreciate your views though."

"I find that there is no such thing as tolerance when it comes to our beliefs. Notch believers aren't going to tolerate us who believe in the Endermen evolution and vice versa. You can understand that, right?"

Putting the rose back in its glass, Eden nodded, "I get it. I guess that makes us atheists then, Roth."

Roth smiled.

"I love you, Eden."

* * *

><p>Nine o'clock was just around the corner when the only two remaining customers in the Smokehouse Bolding Brew were Sabre_Mace and Echo. The two were on their twentieth cup of cola and tea with the bartender becoming even more irritated by their presence.<p>

"Question, Echo." Sabre_Mace asked through a yawn.

"Shoot."

"Have you ever had alcohol?"

Echo looked over at Sabre_Mace after finishing off his twentieth cup of tea, "Why do you ask? Seems really random of you to think about such things."

"You seem like the kind of person who can overcome anything and everything through balance and thought. Have you ever become drunk? Like through drinking alcohol?" Sabre_Mace handed the bartender their cups. They still hadn't had enough.

"I did once but that was it."

Sabre_Mace nodded, "How did you get over how drunk you were?"

"I don't understand what you're asking. You have a way with words that no one can quite understand what you are trying to point out."

"When you got drunk, how did you get sober?"

Echo looked at Sabre_Mace in confusion, "… By not drinking?"

Sabre_Mace chuckled and shook his head, "No, but I mean… oh, never mind. I don't know what I'm saying either."

"What's this about? Did you get drunk?"

"No, nothing like that. It's just that one of my friends is… quite unusual when it comes to drinking. He'll get drunk and then his personality will change completely. He was polite at first and then after he got drunk he became this snarky brat."

Echo put his hand on Sabre_Mace's shoulder, "It sounds like this friend suffers from a multiple personality disorder."

"Do you think?"

"It makes the most sense."

"But he's been this brat like person ever since we got into Babylon."

"It's probably just two personalities then."

"I…" Sabre_Mace trailed off, thinking about how much sense that made, "I can't believe it. That gives me whole new perspective on the dude."

"What's this guy's name?"

Sabre_Mace just sat there, thinking.

"Frank. His name is just Frank."

* * *

><p>Only one light was on in the Home Sky Ale House. Up in the lit bedroom was a younger man, in his early twenties, spread out on a bed. With tears streaming from his eyes all the way down his face, he slammed his head into his pillow multiple times.<br>"Serenade…" Frank cried. He slowly sat up, bringing his emotional outcry to an end. The tears on his face began to dry while he looked out the window. He could see the Balloon Depot with guards and officers all around, investigating it, "goddamn rebels all deserve to die."

"Shouldn't speak like that."

Frank jumped at the voice and turned around to see SunRose standing in his open doorway, "What the hell do you want?"

"What's the matter? Were you crying?" SunRose was worried. She walked over to Frank and felt his cheeks and forehead with the back of her hand, "What's the matter? I've never expected you to be emotional to anything."

"I don't know what's wrong with me…" Frank began to cry again, "I've never felt this way like… I don't understand." He began weeping now, leaning on SunRose's shoulder.

SunRose was frozen in place, completely shocked by this behavior, ""Don't… don't worry, Frank. Just tell… tell me what you've been feeling. I can help you, I think."

Frank sat up and put his head in his hands while SunRose patted his back, "I love Serenade. I would do anything for her but… I…"

"But you what?"

"I don't know why I'm feeling this way."

"You're not used to love?"

"I'm used to love. I was married once but that didn't last long…" Frank whined, "I feel like there are two sides of me like… like I'm being told different ways to feel. I feel like this is… it's destroying me…"

SunRose looked out the window and noticed Serenade standing outside the flower shop she worked at, "I don't quite understand. If you love her just tell her."

Frank stood up and leaned against the window, staring at Serenade, "She hates me! You said it yourself, she hates me! I'm a complete asshole and I can't fix myself now! Just look at what I've become!" He threw himself onto his bed, "I'm getting drunk, threatening everyone, and becoming a selfish man who can't think for anyone… I can't help this feeling. I don't want to be bad but I couldn't stop myself!"

Standing up, SunRose pulled the bed's covers over Frank and walked to the door, "Remember that… we're all here for you. You have friends that you can rely on." She turned off the lights and left.

"Friends… I have no such…" Frank moaned to himself, curling up into a ball while the moon shined through his window at an angle, "more than I know… more people I am than I know, or…" He quietly and quickly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>It was now nine thirty and the only activity from the Smokehouse Bolding Brew was still from Sabre_Mace and Echo, done with the drinking but their conversation continuing on for what seemed eternity. They jumped from topic to topic, each one lasting only a few minutes. Finally, they came across one that required more thought.<p>

"Echo, are you from the real world?" Sabre_Mace stared blankly at the counter. All their glasses had been taken into the backroom where the bartender was laying down on the counter, sleeping.

Echo adjusted his glasses, "No, I'm not."

"Damn."

"Why do you ask? Do you show concern for me?"

Sabre_Mace shook his head and looked out the window at the moon, "When this is all over, I just thought… we could have gone back to the real world. Be friends back there."

"I'm afraid that won't work. If I'm from this world it would be impossible for me to go with you." Echo solemnly explained.  
>"I know, I get it; if your parents were from Anascentia than you are a part of it and you can't leave. I know, but… damn, I just wish…" Sabre_Mace's eyes became slightly watered.<p>

Echo stood up with Sabre_Mace, "How about your friends? How many of them could go back with you?"

"I dunno, I've never thought about figuring that out. SunRose, I believe, since she has dreams of the real world. That's a sign, right?" Sabre_Mace asked.

"Probably. So there's one. How about that old man with you?"

"Garfunkel? Who knows. I think he might but maybe not."

"Well, at least you got SunRose. When you return to your world the two of you can live together happily." Echo said with a smile.

Sabre_Mace nudged Echo slightly, "Why do you want to pair me with her so much? It seems pointless and downright creepy."

"All I want is for you to be happy, Isaac. Happiness is what makes this world go around along with love. Love and happiness, together, made Anascentia and perhaps your world into what it is. That was all taken away by war, though, but it is still there; you just have to look." Echo explained happily, giving Sabre_Mace a pat on the back.

"So what makes you happy?"

"What makes me happy?" Echo thought about that one. He removed his glasses and put them on his kimono, "Well, just the thought of happiness makes me happy. Meeting old friends and what not. Seeing other people being happy and in love."

"I get it; you want me and SunRose together so… you can be happy?"

"So we can both be happy."

* * *

><p>"Harrison! Open up! I want to talk to you now!" Serenade shouted, banging on the door near the flower shop. All the lights were off in the house and the door was locked but she just kept banging. Occasionally she would walk to the small window next to the door and peer through but that wouldn't help, "Harrison, I know you're in there!"<p>

Finally the door swung open. In the doorway was Harrison himself, wearing striped pajamas and reading glass. He removed his glasses and pointed at Serenade, a pissed-off look emanating from his posture, "You have no right to talk to me! You dare steal from the garden that started this beautiful city to rip me off? Forget it! You're just lucky that I didn't report you to the police!"

"But the police are still onto me! You have to help me!"

The florist pushed Serenade out against the stand, "Why in Notch's name should I help you, you ungrateful prick?"

"Because if you don't," Serenade pushed him back inside, "then we'll both get caught. I didn't mean to cause any trouble but it seems it's come to this. We have to prevent the police from discovering that it was me or else you'll be considered a part of it and I don't want that."

"Shut the hell up. You just want me because you can't help yourself and you're scared. Well, I say no! Go away and never come back! I never should have trusted you in the first place!" Harrison pushed her back outside before slamming the door shut.

Serenade punched the door, "You offered me the job in the first place, you bastard!"

He didn't open the door again.

With no one else left that could possibly help her, Serenade began furiously kicking the flower stand before falling on top of it and crying. All the passing people just watched, not even thinking to ask her what was wrong. It wasn't until a familiar voice approached her.

"Serenade, what in Anascentia is wrong?"

She looked up and locked eyes with Lazarus, who was wearing a gray tuxedo and walking with another woman, presumably his wife, "Hi, professor. Nothing is… wrong, I'm just sort of hitting a dead end right now."

"If you've hit a dead end then something is wrong. Tell me, why are you crying over this flower stand? I've never seen you like this before." Lazarus helped Serenade up and walked her over to a bench. The trio all sat down with Serenade in the middle.

Lazarus' wife felt Serenade's forehead, "She feels fine. She's not sick."

"Then what's the matter, Serenade?"

Serenade stood up, "I've done something horrible. I don't want anyone involved." She shouted at the two before running away.

Lazarus gave chase, following his former student all the way to the Balloon Depot. He approached Serenade, who was on her knees at the end of the island. The officers and guards at the depot all gave slight attention to her emotional breakdown,  
>"Serenade, do not jump."<p>

"Where else do I go?"

"Not down. I can help you fix this problem if you just let me."

Serenade hugged Lazarus, "I… I stole from the garden."

Lazarus froze in place, looking out over the edge of Babylon and at the clouds, "You did that? You illegally stole from the Highland Garden? I thought you knew better."

"I thought so too, but…" Serenade whimpered, "I guess I've never felt this greedy before."

"It was for money?"

"I did it for a job."

Lazarus chuckled, "Then it's not your fault! If it was someone else paying you to do it then it wasn't you who should be blamed, it should be this person!"

"But I did it on my own! My boss told me to collect flowers and I did from the garden! He never told me to!" Serenade cried.

"Excuse me, sir," a guard walked over to Lazarus, "I would greatly appreciate it if you removed yourself and your daughter from the premises while this investigation is going on."

Lazarus nodded and helped Serenade up, "Don't worry, Serenade. I'll help you through this, but… you just have to stay out of the way for a little while, alright? Don't do anything stupid."

Serenade nodded as the two departed back to the College of the Rising, the night growing older with the moon getting higher.

The stars above twinkled before dying out with few people noticing. The sky had become unusually dark with the only light source above being the moon. It had made everyone feel safe without the stars and that's all that some truly cared about.

* * *

><p>The bartender had finally decided to pack up and leave for the night, forgetting about Sabre_Mace and Echo still remaining. He had repeatedly asked them to leave but they ignored him and went on with their discussions.<p>

"Isaac, I'm really curious as to why you think you might be going to your old world when you save this one," Echo asked, pouring himself some more tea from behind the counter, "you say that you need to figure out everything about the Dragon Prophecy and yet you have no idea what you're heading into. Obsidian666 isn't someone to think so low of; he is a warlord."

Sabre_Mace continued to stare at the moon, "Where else would I go? If I'm the one with the heart of diamond, then I have to be of some relevance to him. Would you rather I just give up and let him destroy everyone this way?"

"Which I guess brings me to my next question; how do you plan to defeat him? Do you have any idea what you are actually about to do? It's war, not some childhood game." Echo said whilst sipping his tea.

"Garfunkel said he would look into what we need to do next. They may not know what they're getting into but I've only had my sight set on returning to my world. This Diamond Compass is what I think we might be after next."

Echo sighed and put his cup of tea on the counter, "It's quite hilarious, though, since you didn't even realize that you were from your old world until we began talking."

"I…" Sabre_Mace trailed off, beginning to think about the fact that he had never properly thought of there being another world for him to originate from, "I don't know. It's as if talking to you gave me this assurance of such thing."

"So you think you're from another world, then?"

Sabre_Mace turned around and stared at Echo, "Tell me why you continue to call me Isaac. I demand to know."

Echo sat down and closed his eyes, "It's because you are, in fact, from the real world."

"But that doesn't answer my question!"

"Back in your world you are one of the last survivors of the Technological Apocalypse."

Sabre_Mace was about to continue raging before processing that thought, "I'm what?"

"You survived the apocalypse but somehow ended up here. Back in your world your name was Isaac and still is. I have reason to believe that your body is still living in your world but idle whilst you continue to exist in Anascentia." Echo said before chugging his tea in an unusual manner.

His legs beginning to shake from what he just heard, Sabre_Mace stumbled to a nearby chair and sat down, "I can't believe it… so if I'm still alive in the real world, that means that-"

"There is a possibility that you could return home."

* * *

><p>There was only one library in all of Babylon and it was quite an underwhelming experience. It was only one level and a single person ran it, known to the town as "Silent Stewart" for his strict policies. This didn't change the fact that it was one of the most useful places for studying in the server; some of the most well known professors and scientists have used the place as a sanctuary for research.<p>

This is the very reason why Garfunkel was eager to get inside and begin browsing its selection of books. As soon as he barged in he made his to the back where he removed multiple books from the shelf at random and plopped them onto a nearby table.

"Sir, keep it down!" Stewart sternly said from behind Garfunkel. His startling presence made Garfunkel jump in shock.

"Sorry, sir, I'll behave." Garfunkel nodded and took a seat with his books while Stewart left back to the front desk. The books he had picked weren't important to learning about the Diamond Compass, but his way of starting his adventure into knowledge was of starting at random. He flipped through the books, looking for key words or things that stuck out before putting them back and taking out five more books to investigate.

As he was about to put those five books away, he heard footsteps that seemed to be getting closer, "Garfunkel, I can't believe it's you!" An adult male said in excitement as he approached with a big smile. He seemed younger than Garfunkel by ten years with short, black hair and only some wrinkles on his face and hands.

Garfunkel looked up at the man and rubbed his eyes, "Master Dimitri?"

"It's good to see you, old man! What are you doing here in Babylon? Never expected to catch you outside of Imperial City, am I right?" Dimitri laughed and nudged Garfunkel in the side.

The archaeologist laughed and shook his old friend's hand, "Well, I've gotten into a pretty big issue that calls for that. What about you? What are you doing here?"

"Getting fresh air is always nice, dude. Can't help it if I'm not always in underground dungeons like you. Dust would really set off my allergies." Dimitri laughed and sat down across from Garfunkel. He picked up one of the books and curiously turned the pages, "What the hell is this for? Never knew you were into aliens."

Garfunkel turned red and took the book from him, "I need somewhere to start with my studies."

"Studies, eh? Thought you did that in the dungeons."

"Not this time."

"Oh really? What are you studying now?"

Garfunkel pulled out six books and set down on the table, "Something called The Diamond Compass. My friend needs to know its whereabouts so I'm doing my best to help him out. You're sort of distracting me, too."

Dimitri stood up, walking down an aisle of books, pulled out a rather large encyclopedia, and brought it back to Garfunkel, "I know what you're talking about but it's all just a myth started by people back in the day. I guess it never died."

"But that can't be right!" Garfunkel grabbed the encyclopedia from Dimitri, "The Dragon Prophecy foretold its importance at the moment! It can't just be a myth!"

"Dragon Prophecy? What the hell are you rambling on about now?"

Garfunkel flipped through the index of the encyclopedia, trying to find anything related to the compass, "It's nothing for you to worry about. Can you just leave? I'm extremely busy and can't have any distractions." He finally did find an entry on it, in the far back towards the end. He turned to that page and saw that it was only a small paragraph describing it as what Dimitri said; just a myth. "What in Notch's name is this book anyway?"

"Index of Fantasy. A best-seller. Surprised you've never looked at it," Dimitri stood up and pulled out a cigarette, "if you ever want to talk, I'm staying at the hotel on this street's corner. It's just by the hospital. Can't miss it."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Please let me be so I can come to terms with what I'm reading." Garfunkel sighed in disappointment.

Dimitri walked over to Garfunkel, "If I may make one suggestion, though," he pulled out a lighter and lit the cigarette, "it would be to check out the Obsidian Magma Blade article." He walked away and disappeared outside.

"The what?" Garfunkel looked up, barely catching anything that Dimitri had mentioned, "The Obsidian what? Bloody hell, this book isn't helping at all."

* * *

><p>Midnight.<p>

"Isaac, you should head on home. I doubt the hospital actually cares about you anymore. You were just taking up space." Echo said, leaning over the counter. He was wearing his blue kimono and glasses again.

Sabre_Mace was still sitting in the chair by the door, staring at the moon while thinking deeply about his real name, "Before I go, I want to know one last thing."

"What is it? I think you've asked me all there is to know right now."

"Do you believe in what Obsidian666 is planning on doing?"

Echo sat there, staring into his empty cup, "Tell me first, Isaac, what it is that Obsidian666 is actually doing. I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on the matter now."

"He sent some girl to get the Dragon Prophecy from us and then sent Exile to get me to kill him. The prophecy implies that he is The Father of Truth and will bring an end to Anascentia. That's something. You just seem like someone who wouldn't even bother with him. Why in the world are you a Redstone Rebel?" Sabre_Mace stood up and put on his brown robe.

The two stared at each, neither saying anything.

"Isaac, I had a child once."

"What do you mean had?"

Echo turned back to his empty cup, dimming his eyes, "My girlfriend and I had a child but… I realized my fate and, well… Obsidian666 got involved."

Sabre_Mace walked to the counter, "How so?"

"He killed my child," Echo began to get choked up, "he forced me and my love to watch. When it was done, Obsidian666 forced us into the rebellion because I was necessary to the cause."

"How could he do such a thing?" Sabre_Mace was disturbed by this new look into who he was about to go up against in this war, "How exactly are you any different from the rest of the rebels besides peaceful nature?"

Echo stood up and looked Sabre_Mace in the eye, "I don't know if you understand what a Noble Horseman is but I'm one of them."

"You're… you're a Noble Horseman?" Sabre_Mace stumbled backwards.

Echo lowered his head, "Just like Exile, I am destined to be slain by you, warrior with the heart of diamond."

"I won't kill you! You don't deserve this! Why can't I just kill Obsidian666 and not worry about killing you?" Sabre_Mace tried to imagine the thought of actually killing Echo but couldn't.

"The Dragon Prophecy foretells our deaths will ensure Obsidian666's victory. If you want my opinion, Isaac," Echo walked over to his friend and gave him a slight hug, "kill us and then take down that bastard."

"Echo, I can't kill you!" Sabre_Mace pushed Echo away and ran to the door.

"But you will. And then I'll be happy." Echo said.

Sabre_Mace stared at Echo as he sipped his tea again. Tears begin to run from his eyes, the user ran out of the pub, crossing over the central square with the sun dial, and entering into Home Sky Ale House.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the square, SunRose watched the now healthy Sabre_Mace sprint away, "Was that Sabre_Mace? At least he's okay." She said to herself while walking past the Smokehouse Bolding Brew. Just as she was about to walk away from the building she heard the bells on the door ring. Instantly and curiously she spun around to the window and looked inside to see two familiar figures.

"Is that Eden?" She said.


	13. 1 12 Echo & the Valley of Truth and Lies

**Part 1 of the Babylon story arc finale.**

**Part 2 will be released this weekend.**

**If you are considering contributing to Tales of Anascentia, there is an outline on my profile that you can follow if you don't exactly understand what I've been saying for the past few chapters. I wouldn't blame you, I barely make sense to myself.**

**If you enjoyed this chapter and the story as a whole feel free to leave feedback via review. I do not own Minecraft.**

* * *

><p><em>I wasn't able to sleep at all last night. Everyone else had come back to the pub soon after me though I don't recall hearing Serenade. As they all had gone to sleep, wishing each other good night and everything, I felt like I was in between thoughts; awake yet asleep. It was bizarre.<em>

_This world appeared to me in my dream. It was an endless field with flowers of all different types; there were roses and lavender and lilies and more. It was the most peaceful and serene place I had ever been in. Yet I knew I was asleep or at least that this place was a dream. Because I saw him in the horizon, staring at me with a smile._

_I saw Echo._

_He approached me and pointed to the sun that he was walking towards. "The sun isn't all terrifying; it is like a nightlight that fends off the boogeyman. There can be no fear of light." He said and ran off. I decided to run after him as I felt like I was happy. That's what he wanted us to be, after all._

_And then things began to change. I heard voices in my head; there was Garfunkel and then SunRose and the rest of them all talking to me. I shouted at the voices to stop but they kept happening. I felt this sudden weight on my shoulders; a burden that I couldn't carry. The dirt hit my face before I could even realize what was happening._

_After wiping the dirt out of my eyes, I looked up to see Echo sitting there in front of me, just staring, "Echo, you didn't have to wait for me. I'm going to be alright."_

_"That's not what I'm worried about."_

_I was confused, "What are you doing then?"_

_"Kill me, Isaac."_

_My eyes shot wide open, my jaw shaking, "No… no, I thought this wasn't real life… I can't kill you in my dream!"_

_"Kill me now." Echo pulled back his right sleeve, showing off his spear gun. He pointed the tip of the spear directly at my forehead, causing me to freeze in my place. Sweat dripped down my face as I could sense this empty feeling inside him; he was hollow._  
><em>This wasn't him.<em>

_"Kill or be killed, Isaac."_

* * *

><p>The whole pub was awoken by a loud shriek. They followed it to Sabre_Mace's and Roth's room, where the former was sitting on the floor beside his bed, breathing heavily as if from panic. Roth remained under his covers, slowly awakening as the room's lights shot on.<p>

Before anyone else could approach him, Garfunkel got on his knees and helped Sabre_Mace up, "What is the matter, Master Mace? You have never looked this terrified, at least as far as I know. Bad dream, maybe?"

Sabre_Mace pushed the elder away and sat down on his bed, "No, just… something has been on my mind lately that I haven't thought through too much. I need to do some thinking is all."

"Do all the thinking you want, man," Roth groggily said as he drifted off back to sleep, "no one ain't stopping you."

The rest of the group eyed Roth before slowly nodding in agreement. "Do you want to be alone for a little bit, man?" Frank asked, standing in the back of the group by the door. He didn't look tired with his eyes wide open and no marks underneath them.

A strong breeze blew in from the window beside Roth's bed. Sabre_Mace turned towards it, noticing that it was still dark outside and went to open it up all the way, "What time is it?"

"It's only four in the morning," SunRose yawned, "I was expecting more than three hours of sleep but I guess I can't count on it now. Who else is hungry?"

As SunRose exited the room, Roth sat up and looked at all of them, "Where's Serenade? She off at work again?"

"I didn't see her at the shop." SunRose recalled.

Garfunkel pushed them out of the room, "She'll be back like she was last time. Come on, give the boy some privacy; he needs his space in a time like this."  
><em><br>Interesting,_ Sabre_Mace thought as the lights went off and both he and Roth lay back down in their beds, _they've grown on me. They understand me more. They can actually be what I consider friends. _

Another breeze blew through, sending chills down his back.

"Can I close the window?" Roth asked.

Sabre_Mace nodded.

"Can I?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

The window slammed shut as Roth stumbled around, avoiding his bed for whatever reason, "I'm heading downstairs. Can't sleep no more. Don't be going and touching my Eden ya hear?" He ranted and disappeared down the stairs.  
><em><br>Forget Eden, _Sabre_Mace got up and opened the window again, _what about him? The man that has been haunting me for our entire time in Babylon; the one who should not be involved in these devilish schemes of Obsidian666's; he who doesn't deserve death for his innocence; the guy that revealed so much to me yet left so little to feel now that I understand fate a little more?_

_What about Echo?_

* * *

><p>On the lower level of the Home Sky Ale House, the group had gathered at the counter, plates distributed to everyone by that morning's chef Frank. He stood in the back, going through inventory without the slightest clue on what to make and how to make it. Everyone just sat and watched him with inner laughter.<p>

"Frank, just let me cook." Roth persuaded.

A carton of eggs were brought out to the counter. Frank didn't make eye contact with anyone while he took out all the ingredients. By the time he turned on the oven, pork and eggs covered the counter with water, milk, and, for some odd reason, dye. Everyone sat in worry about what they were about to be fed.

Smoke billowed out from the kitchen, setting off the fire alarm that was located just above the counter. The group grabbed feathers from the drawers in the counter and began to fan the smoke away and out the nearby open window. Frank ignored the smoke and began to stuff all the ingredients into the pan and stir it lightly with a wooden spoon.

The smoke finally cleared out and the group looked onwards as Frank continued to stir, looking hypnotized by the food. His stare was blank as he continued the same repetitive motion over and over again.

Roth stood up and walked into the back, "Frank, let me-"

Without taking his gaze off the food, Frank grabbed onto Roth's right wrist and forced it down onto the pan. The heated metal instantly caused pain and sent him running out in tears. Frank appeared to the others again with a large pan of what looked like blue eggs. He gave everyone uneven servings before dropping the pan to the floor and looking each of them dead in eye.

"I'm sorry." He spoke and exited the building.

Everyone stared as he left. SunRose began trying her best to heal Roth's wounds and was able to cool the pain, but a big red mark still remained. She wrapped a white wool bandage around it and sat back down while everyone stared at the food, not even daring to touch the abomination.

Thus, the day had officially begun.

* * *

><p>The College of the Rising, while one of the most notorious schools in Anascentia, was known for cancelling school for no reason. It was a bit suspicious at first but as it kept happening people forgot to worry and it became a normal happening. The students weren't exactly effected by missing class every once in a while but the adults of Babylon were incredibly disappointed. They were usually the ones that would try to open the school up again no matter what in an attempt to get their children the proper education that they deserve.<p>

This day was different, though. All doors had been locked and the lights were off. While nobody was awake or out at the time of hour to actually notice the eerie silence coming off of the building, the animals that wandered the city kept their distance.  
>Maybe there weren't any civilians on the outside of the college, but on the inside it was different, but not too different. Only two people occupied the inner halls of the school. The pair wandered around, talking to each other all night. Their voices echoed constantly, perhaps to the point that the two people even got sick of the way they talk.<p>

As the pair turned to the stairs and began descending to the main lobby, the girl looked to the man, her eyes wet with tears, "Lazarus, are you sure this will work? You're putting so much at risk."

Lazarus looked straight down the steps, seeming confident with each step, "Serenade, I won't allow them to take you away like this. You are too precious to be scarred for life over a bunch of misplaced flowers. Together we'll fix things and you can finally return home. You just have to trust me."

The two proceeded to the front doors of the college. Serenade pressed her head against the glass entrance and looked out at the empty streets of Babylon, "When do you think they'll come looking for me? You know, after Harrison exposes me for the crook I am?"

"Is he someone who would actually do that?" Lazarus took a seat on a chair in a small area next to the door. It was usually a gathering place for the students who had nowhere else to go during the day or night or whenever. He often hung around to chat with students as a way of getting to know them better.

After her breath began to fog up the glass, Serenade took a seat next to Lazarus and stared off into space, "I've barely known him and I can already say how much I dislike the man. He is so inconsiderate and ignorant to me that it is embarrassing just knowing him."

A loud tap on the front made Serenade jump to her feet and into a panic. While she continued to shake uncontrollably, Lazarus only laughed and opened the door. A man in a blue uniform with a red feather attached to his baseball cap walked in with a bag full of newspapers, "Professor Lazarus, your daily paper, sir!"

The professor smiled and took the newspaper from the delivery boy's grasp, "Thanks, Roy. Say, you wouldn't happen to know when the Babylon Police Department begins their daily duty, would you?"

The boy began snickering, "You said duty…"

"Enough with that or I'll treat you like I did when you were my student."

Roy straightened up his posture and backed up out the door a bit, "I'm just playing, sir. No, I actually don't. Is there something wrong? I can report any crimes for you, sir; my dad is a police officer and fine one too."

Lazarus reached for the door, "No, your service is done here," He closed the door and turned back to Serenade, who was sighing heavily in a chair, "you can calm down now. It was only the paper boy. The police shouldn't be out for another hour or two so we have some time to get our story straight."

"We don't have a story, Lazarus, we have a rant and rants don't go over so well with the police!" Serenade was about to begin weeping again at the thought of facing the police, "I've never been in a situation like this; Bastil has always helped me through my life since he is the Moderator."

"Ah, I remember Bastil. Quite the coward, I must say," Lazarus sat down again and remembered back into his past, "he came by demanding that I let you into the college despite me ignoring your request. The way you stood up for him while I yelled was superb and probably the reason why I looked forward to teaching you."

Serenade turned red and looked out the windows behind her, noticing the sky getting lighter very steadily, "I won't be scared as long as you promise to be with me, Lazarus. I feel scared facing them."

Lazarus embraced Serenade's hand, "I'll be with you."

* * *

><p><em>The wind felt nice against my body. There might not have been physical wounds over me yet I still felt torn; death doesn't seem justified when it is unnecessary. Death for one would mean death for all… but maybe I'm going overboard at this point.<em>

_Is this normal? The way I desire others to live? Echo might be a Noble Horseman but does that really serve any purpose now? I know I can take on Obsidian666 now if I just try. Then again maybe not. Too much to think about._

Sabre_Mace sat up in his bed, stretching his arms to his toes. The cracking of his back and leg muscles felt good in such a tense morning. The window was still wide open with the wind blowing pretty strong now; it was around eleven in the morning and he had been spending it all thinking.

After a few more minutes of staring at the ceiling, the young user made his way downstairs and to the counter where the remains of Frank's breakfast masterpiece were left behind. He poked his index finger into the monstrosity and put the unknown substance into his mouth.

"Interesting. Surprised they didn't devour this stuff," Sabre_Mace grabbed a fork and began cleaning each plate of its breakfast. Once the food was completely gone, he took the plates and put them in the sink in the back and looked around at what he had missed hours earlier.

There were food stains everywhere on the floor as revealed by the dirty pan on the floor. He ignored it and walked to the front door. One the other side of the glass wall he saw children playing all around the sun dial in the central square. They all were laughing and climbing on top of each other in their games.

The doors opened and Sabre_Mace exited. As soon as he stepped foot outside he looked over to the Smokehouse Bolding Brew, which appeared to be empty. Once he was fully aware of what was occurring in his surroundings he walked over to the pub casually and looked inside.

"Are you feeling better, Sabre_Mace?" SunRose approached Sabre_Mace from behind. He didn't seem startled by her sudden appearance, but rather joyous, "You look better, that's for sure."

"Well, I feel better. Thanks for asking." Sabre_Mace smiled.

SunRose stared at him with a bit of a smirk, "Behaving better as well, it seems. What got into you? I'm surprised you would thank someone, especially me."

"I had quite the night last night." Sabre_Mace continued to smile and walked past SunRose to the sun dial. The kids ignored his presence and continued playing. Some tripped and fell off of the contraption in an attempt to impress the girls, who were all laughing hysterically.

Before he could leave, SunRose followed Sabre_Mace to the dial, "Hey, what do you think of Eden? You know, Roth's girlfriend?"  
>"I haven't met her. How is she?"<p>

She looked back at the Smokehouse Bolding Brew and then to Sabre_Mace, who had climbed onto one of the triangles that made up the sun dial, "She seems… odd."

"Odd? How so?"

"When I was walking home, I passed the Bolding Brew and saw her," she trailed off slightly, "talking with the man in the blue kimono. I forget his name but it was definitely him. It has me worried that she might be cheating on Roth."

Sabre_Mace jumped down and thought about it, "Where is Roth? You might want to mention that to him. Even if you're wrong it is always good to be sure."

"Wouldn't he get pretty mad though? I mean, I'd get pretty angry if someone accused my boyfriend of cheating. At least that's how it happens in all the TV shows." SunRose turned back towards the Bolding Brew and wondered if it would be her only option at this point, "but I think you're right. I should find him and set things straight."

Before SunRose could leave, Sabre_Mace grabbed her shoulder and stopped her in her tracks, "Speaking of Roth, where is everyone? I woke up to that delicious food on the counter but no one around. Did you guys just ignore it?"

"Delicious? You actually ate it!" SunRose was horrified, "But I think Garfunkel went to the library. That's about it since I still haven't seen Serenade and the others disappeared without a trace."

"Fantastic. Alright, you're good." Sabre_Mace leaned against the sun dial, watching as SunRose hurried off into the busy streets of the city. He looked up and saw the tall glass tower that was on top of the College of the Rising. The sun was towards the top of the tower, letting its rays shine onto the sun dial.

Sabre_Mace dimmed his eyes and looked to the left, seeing the massive Aquarius Mountain in the far distance. It was even bigger than when he first saw it, or at least that's how it seemed. He walked around the dial and stood at the road leading to its entrance, looking at all the people wandering around aimlessly.

His smile slowly desecrated into a frown as he stood there longer. After a few seconds of just staring, he stepped forward. Every few seconds he would move one foot in front of the other before he was walking casually down the road.

"I'm not happy, Echo." He said to himself.

* * *

><p>Highland Garden was still one of the most popular attractions in Babylon despite the crimes and rumors surrounding it. Several shops had set up business around there and were more commercially successful than some of the finest stores in the inner city.<br>One of the shops was actually an attraction called "The Frog Hopper". In order to play two people would have race two toy frogs powered by Redstone to the other end of the track. The place was controversial because of the use of Redstone but still attracted dozens of customers each day.

At the front of a long line, Roth and Eden pounded on the stone switches used to power the frogs. Each of the frogs' legs moved slowly but smoothly while the owner of the joint watched from the side, "Looks like you're about to lose, sir."

"Says you," Roth laughed and pounded on the switch furiously until his frog stopped working altogether while Eden's frog moved to the finish line, "that's not fair! Mine stopped working at the last minute!"

The owner patted a happy Eden on the back and brought the next two customers up after fixing the overworked frog that Roth was using, The couple walked over to the hills by the garden and sat down, watching as the wind rustled the grass, "Did you have fun, Roth?" Eden leaned on Roth, a big smile planted on her face.

Roth nodded and noticed a familiar figure at the bottom of the hill, approaching them, "SunRose? Didn't expect us to run into each other like this again."

SunRose trudged up the hill and looked at Eden first before focusing her attention on Roth, "Hey, is it alright if I have a word with you? Alone, perhaps?"

"You're not trying to steal him from me, are you?" Eden hugged Roth's arm tight.

"Wouldn't even think of it." SunRose rolled her eyes.

"Can't you just ask me here? I don't feel like hiding anything from my love right now." Roth put his arm around Eden and pulled her against his side.

"I'm afraid I can't," SunRose grabbed Roth's free arm and pulled him to his feet. With Eden left on the ground, SunRose pulled Roth up to the garden, away from Eden's hearing range, "Roth, I don't know if I'm right or not but Eden might be seeing someone else right now."

Roth looked at SunRose, a puzzled and humorous expression on his face, "Excuse me? Are you actually pulling this cliché? What makes you think that Eden is cheating on me? There is no evidence of such crap."

"I saw her with the man in the blue kimono."

"Echo? When?"

"Last night at the Smokehouse Bolding Brew. I was walking home and saw the two together. They were getting all close and everything and… she looked really happy," SunRose looked down and began kicking pebbles around, "I'm really sorry Roth."  
>Expecting the manly user to begin crying, she was incredibly shocked when she felt her back collide with the ground beneath her. Looking up as she regained focus from being pushed down, she saw Roth staring at her, his puzzled look changing into one of being pissed off, "How dare you of speaking of her like that. I don't give two shits if you like me or not but that doesn't give you the right to insult her like this. I actually know Eden! Do you? Hell, do you even know Echo besides that stupid encounter the other day?" He walked past her and embraced Eden, who had walked up the hill to survey the scene along with a bunch of other people, "It's not like you to act like this, SunRose."<p>

SunRose quickly got to her feet, hurt by Roth's sudden change, "Do you know me, Roth? Tell me, just how well do you actually know me?" She walked over to Roth, who was pushing Eden away so that they could abandon the scene.

"Enough of this!" Roth was about to push SunRose over again.

"Roth, stop it!" Eden grabbed Roth and held him back, "This is unlike you! This isn't the man I fell in love with!"

Roth calmed down, still looking angrily at SunRose.

Eden hugged Roth and began walking with him towards the hill, "Just go back home and take a nap. Let off some steam, alright? No need to get worked up over nothing. If SunRose wants to think such things then let her; it doesn't affect you or I."

"I guess you're right." Roth nodded and began to walk down the hill to return to the Home Sky Ale House for a mid-morning nap.  
>The crowd of people soon dispersed following Roth's exit. SunRose watched Eden as she stared down the hill until Roth entered into the pub. When he was finally inside, SunRose began to leave in the direction of the college. As she began to walk down the steps leading to the central square, she felt someone's firm grasp on her right shoulder. She froze in place and looked behind her to see Eden, staring at her with a pissed-off look similar to Roth's.<p>

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Eden asked, tightening her grip on SunRose.

SunRose tried to push her away but she remained in place, "I don't know what you mean. Speaking of which, how in the world did you know what we were talking about? You weren't eavesdropping, were you?"

"I'm better than that, little girl," Eden said, her tone getting progressively more serious with each word, "I saw you watching Echo and I. I knew what you were capable and took advantage of this opportunity to eliminate not one, but two of you archaeologist bastards."

With Eden distracted by her rage, SunRose eased out of the strong grip and began sprinting down the steps. It wasn't long before she tripped on one of the steps and began rolling to the bottom. When she did hit the end of the steps, though, she was staring at the blue sky. Her sight suddenly became blurred as she felt the bottom of Eden's shoe stamp onto her chest hard. She looked down and noticed the traitor standing there, pulling out a knife from her pocket.

"Come with me or I cut you down now."

* * *

><p>Though Silent Stewart was still working the library, Garfunkel couldn't care; he had more important things to worry about, such as if the Diamond Compass truly existed or not. He walked to the shelf with the Index of Fantasy book and removed it. While walking to the table that he had sat at the other day, he flipped through the pages, trying to find what Dimitri had mentioned when he left.<p>

"What's up, Garfunkel?" Dimitri greeted, sitting leisurely at the table.

Garfunkel slowly looked up and rolled his eyes. He then sat down and slammed the book on the table, "Why are you back, Master Dimitri? You're only going to become an even bigger nuisance than you already were."

"I just wanted to see how you were holding up."

"How I'm holding up? You mean ever since Rebecca died? That was years ago. Do you actually believe that I haven't gotten over it? What a load of rubbish." Garfunkel shook his head and continued to flip through the pages of the index, keeping his eyes peeled for the words "diamond" and "obsidian".

Dimitri grabbed the book and pulled it over to his side of the table, "Did you ever look at the Obsidian Magma Blade article like I suggested? Good stuff, eh?"

"That's it. I had completely forgotten what you said yesterday," Garfunkel grabbed the book back and looked at the page that Dimitri had turned it to. On it was a large, black sword with a golden handle, red lines running up the blade and strange purple gem at the tip, "what is this magnificent tool?"

"That is the Obsidian Magma Blade. It is usually associated with the Diamond Compass so I thought it might work well enough. Does it?" Dimitri stood up and pulled out a cigarette.

Garfunkel continued to marvel at the intricate design of the weapon, "Egads, this is ingenious. How does this have the slightest correlation with the Diamond Compass, though?"

Dimitri grabbed the book and looked through the text that accompanied the picture, "Legend has it that it was one of the last items created by a Thaumaturgist before Thaumcraft was banned. A saying goes with the legend; 'only in the darkest of days and darkest of nights will the fire rise from inside and restore balance for eternity'."

"But what does that have to do with the Diamond Compass? I can see that you really want to help, Master Dimitri, but I don't understand what you're getting at." Garfunkel stood up and took the book back again. He looked everywhere on the page again.

"Listen up, man; I know what the Diamond Compass. Whether or not you choose to believe in its existence, these two have similar legends. Both are relevant in dark times, usually a doom sort of scenario. Make sense?" Dimitri put on some sunglasses and lit his cigarette.

The two remained in their place while Garfunkel tried to find some connection between the Diamond Compass and the weapon, "If I remember correctly, Professor Lazarus told Master Mace of a place called The House of the Holy Sun. Master Mace believes that the Diamond Compass is there but we haven't the slightest clue where this place is."

"The Holy Sun? Interesting. I didn't expect both of those legends to be intertwined. They were always told separately. House of the Holy Sun is like a cage for an Endersend in the far south, past those awful mountains. Maybe you'd wanna go there or something." Dimitri looked out the window next to the table.

Garfunkel nodded, a smile spreading across his face, "I think you might be right, Master Dimitri. There is a good chance that you are right. Never thought you could be of use!"

"Well, thanks. It means a lot," Dimitri sarcastically said and walked away, "Garfunkel, are you sure you'll be alright?" He asked without turning around.

"Master Dimitri, I'm amused that you think I'm still scarred by those events. I've moved on; so should you," Garfunkel said, returning the Index of Fantasy to its place on the shelf and walking over to Dimitri, "or are you the one that's not alright?"

Dimitri didn't move, his emotions hidden by his sunglasses.

* * *

><p>The Home Sky Ale House was practically considered abandoned now that the owner had completely disappeared. Nobody besides the Pack of Wanderers ever used it anymore, though, so it was also just taking up valuable space. On the inside of this abandoned building, Roth was in his bed, staring at the ceiling.<p>

Images and thoughts of Eden ran through his head. He thought he could see Eden staring right back at him from the ceiling and reached his hand out to it only for the image to disappear, "I'm sorry for the way I acted, Eden. I really am."

"You too, huh?"

Roth sat up and saw Frank leaning against the open door frame, staring at him with a straight face, his hands in his pockets and legs crossed, "How long have you been watching me? Do you know how abnormal that is?"

Frank walked into the room casually and sat down on the other bed, looking at Roth with strange interest, "When you have to apologize to the woman you love, you know you've fucked up."

"But I didn't do anything wrong; SunRose was making false accusations that I had to set straight! How else am I supposed to act?" Roth pulled the covers off of him and stood up. He grabbed a comb off the nightstand between the beds and began to anxiously brush his hair down.

"How exactly do you know they're false?"

"Because I know Eden better than any of you all combined! I understand the way she works, the way she lives, everything. She wouldn't lie to me, now would she?" Roth shut the window and threw the comb onto his bed. He ran his fingers through his short black hair.

The wooden floors creaked as Frank took his time standing up, "Everyone has a time for apologies, Roth. Maybe her time has yet to come," he said and walked out the door, "you never know."

"Shut the hell up, Frank." Roth sighed and shut the door.

* * *

><p>The wooded area that led to the front of Aquarius Mountain was considered to be the underdog compared to the other parts of Babylon. Everything in this forest was clean, the hospitality was incredible, and everyone seemed happy that they were away from the commotion of the inner city. The brick road that ran from the northern roads of the city through the forest stretched on for a mile at least before finally ending up at a wooden outpost that led into the mountain.<p>

The outpost was made of crude wooden planks and barely did anything. It covered the right and left side of the entrance as well as gave it a roof. The tunnel, however, was something else; a pitch black entrance into a cursed area of fear.

As Sabre_Mace approached this outpost, he stopped and looked up at the structure of the mountain; it was incredibly big and smooth. The top of it was white with snow and what looked to be black wool, for some reason. He never heard people question it, why should he?

After taking a good look around he drew his diamond sword and stepped into the tunnel, not bothering to pack any torches or equipment at all besides his weapon. He was able to descend the hidden stairs that kept going down and never stopping.  
>The stairs finally came to an end when he stepped onto a full block of Redstone; the block lit up and shined some light on the blocks around it, which were also Redstone. The sight of it made him tremble but he gained his composure soon and stepped forward.<p>

The blocks continued on straight for a while until a brighter light came on up ahead; the light of glowstone. It was on a platform surrounded by stairs but only a few blocks were present at the corners. Sabre_Mace remained still as soon as the glowstones activated, gripping his diamond sword until sweat began to cover his palm from the tension.

"It's good that you came to your senses." Echo said, standing along with the glowstone on the platform. He looked straight at Sabre_Mace, his spear gun prepared for anything. He had removed his blue kimono, wearing his black outfit again like the night before.

The echo of his voice chilled Sabre_Mace but made him remember why he was there in the first place, "Echo, I won't kill you, no matter what you demand from me!"

Echo shook his head in disappointment and walked forward to the edge of the platform, "Isaac, you must kill me. I don't believe in pointless death; I want everyone in Anascentia to live a prosperous life. You refusing to do this will only put them in more danger than necessary."

"But why can't we go and take down Obsidian666 together? Killing you won't prove anything!" Sabre_Mace shouted, beginning to become a bit emotional again.

"Killing me isn't meant to prove anything," Echo said and stomped on the ground. The entire cave of the mountain, in a circular shape, lit up as it was made entirely of Redstone. At the same time the top of the mountain blew up completely, sending the black wool flying everywhere on the island and smoke into the clear blue sky.

Sabre_Mace winced at the sudden lights. As he began to look around the properly lit room, he noticed horse-shaped figures in each corner, each a different color, "What are these?"

The echo of Echo's footsteps on the stairs rang in Sabre_Mace's ears, making him twitch, "These are the representations of the Noble Horsemen as told by the Dragon Prophecy. We Noble Horsemen, along with the Father of Truth, are the only ones who know of the plan that is currently being enacted. I am known as the Dark Noble Horsemen; Exile was the White Noble Horsemen. The others I am sworn to secrecy on."

"Echo, it doesn't have to be this way! We don't have to fight!"

"I know you don't want to fight, Isaac; neither do I. But unless you come to terms with happiness then this fight will happen," Echo readied his steel spear gun, "blood will shed either way. But blood is nature-"

Sabre_Mace pointed his diamond sword at Echo, "and nature is everywhere, I know. We are all nature, no matter our background. You said we can't have enough nature and you're right – we can't. But war destroys us and our nature, deteriorating us for good."

Echo held his spear gun across his chest, "What do you mean?"

"War will never end," Sabre_Mace sheathed his sword and turned around, "so what's the point of fighting it?"

"Don't give up, Isaac," Echo shouted, similar to when he faced the Redstone Rebels in the streets a few days back, "this war can end if you learn what must end as well. I've lived my life; it's time for you to live yours."

Sabre_Mace began walking across the Redstone to the entrance.

Without waiting another second, Echo aimed the spear at Sabre_Mace, shooting it at him. The hero was able to roll to the side and draw his sword before the Noble Horseman retracted the spear and slashed at him, "True men don't give up."

"Then don't give up, Echo!" Sabre_Mace pushed Echo's spear off of him and rolled to the side again, the sunlight from above giving off a lot more light then the Redstone. The two faced each other, weapons in front of them, the tension inside the mountain rising.

The two dashed at each other.


	14. 1 13 Echo & the Valley of Roses

**I apologize for not getting this up over the weekend - there were some complications with getting it finished but, alas, here it is for your entertainment. You can think of this as a finale for both the Babylon story arc and the first part of the story. I have determined how the long the story will be but will not give out that information (it is pretty long, though). Since this is like a finale, I won't be releasing the next chapter, 2.1, for quite a while. If you are actually saddened by that news (I doubt you are) you can rest assured with knowing that the first chapter of Tales of Anascentia will be uploaded in that break.**

**Remember, if you wish to contribute to Tales of Anascentia, message me with your story ideas and I'll gladly utilize them!**

**Other than that, I have nothing else to really say other than to review if you enjoy the story!**

**Oh, and I don't own Minecraft.**

* * *

><p>The far east of Anascentia was considered inhospitable by many people for many reasons, primarily because of the Obsidian Flats and the headquarters of the Redstone Rebellion. The massive base could be seen as a cross between a castle and bunker set against a hot environment. The desert that covered most of the continent became even worse towards the east. This is the reason why the rebellion set up the foundation of their movement here; so that it would be difficult to take them down head on before getting heat stroke.<p>

On the inside of the massive camp were multiple halls that led to the cafeterias or bedrooms. The offices that were very rarely used were placed in the basement since, like I already pointed out, they were vacant most of the time. The halls in the back of the base were the most used since they were centered around the throne room, where work was usually done other than the camp grounds in the front half of the base.

It was towards noon that activity in the base began to escalate incredibly. People were clogging up the halls, making it very difficult for anyone who was just trying to get around. This was the case for MajesticQ, who was attempting to make her way to the throne room but instead had to wade through the clumps of users trying to get around.

The large, golden doors to the throne room opened slowly with a loud, screeching creak. As she entered in with a straight posture, the doors behind her shut, pushing a big gust of wind through. It blew over MajesticQ like a storm and froze her in place. Ahead of her by about fifteen blocks of red wool was a set of stairs that led up to a platform, which held the throne and, ultimately, Obsidian666.

"Obsidian666 sir, news has broken out that the top of Aquarius Mountain has exploded. This must mean that Echo is doing his job properly for once." She approached her king slowly, her legs rather stiff which each step.

The Redstone Rebellion leader sat on his obsidian throne, wearing a black leather suit with black gloves and boots. His hair was long and black, reaching down to his shoulders. His face didn't appear to be damaged but his eyes were off-putting; the irises for both of them were red while the eyeball itself was black.

The king stood up and folded his hands behind his back, "The name is Eligos, dear. This news is no news whatsoever; it is merely a reminder that our plans are running along smoothly. As long as Isaac is quick to begin his journey to the House of the Holy Sun, we'll have plenty of time to begin our attack on the rest of Anascentia."

MajesticQ began ascending the stairs as Eligos took his seat in the throne, "But didn't you say the Northern Sands were out of the question? We made peace with them, I thought."

"When there is war there is no peace. It is times like these, MajesticQ, that we must do our best to make this war as painless as possible. Yes, we will attack the Northern Sands, but in a more subtle manner after the true threats are dealt with." Eligos cracked his fingers and began to stare straight at the door for some odd reason.

"And those threats are?"

"Isaac and the Imperial City. Isaac is the hero with the heart of diamond while Imperial City is the most powerful city in Anascentia. If we can make sure that they do not cause problems for us in our little siege then this world is as good as ours."  
>Eligos stood up and put his hand on MajesticQ's shoulder, making her blush.<p>

She stepped back and looked to the door which had opened up. A tall man walked in, wearing a black trench coat with a head. He had short, black hair and a scar stemming from his left eye. He stopped as soon as he reached the stairs and looked up at Eligos angrily, "You called, sir?"

Eligos smiled, "Yes, Octagon. I'd enjoy your presence as we begin to plan for the next invasions. These will become the beginning and end of this little dispute and will conclude with our victory. This will go much better for all of us if you choose to help us lead."

Octagon walked up to the throne and bowed, "It's a pleasure, sir."

"Fantastic," Eligos' smile faded away as he took a seat yet again and began running through his thoughts, "as I see it there are multiple ways to go; multiple ways that we can assure that Imperial City falls and Anascentia becomes ours. There is The Diamond Compass; there is Imperial City; and then there is the Obsidian Magma Blade of which Isaac must not get a hold of by any means."

"The Endersend are already covering the area around the House of the Holy Sun, so there is no need to worry about the compass, I think. The other two are where we come in, I presume?" MajesticQ pointed out, realizing how she and Octagon would become involved.

"Imperial City must fall and the blade must be in our possession. Octagon, I am leaving you in charge of storming the Obsidian Flats and taking that blade by force; MajesticQ, I want you to storm Imperial City with our army and take it down, no matter the cost. Failure is not an option at this point." Eligos said before dismissing them.

The two exited out into the hallways, which had cleared out for the most part. Octagon walked to the front halls and looked out the windows to the camp grounds, where soldiers practiced continuously for war, "This won't end well for us, I think."

MajesticQ walked up behind him, "What makes you think that? The odds are in our favor. Sir Eligos can't be stopped by anyone, including us. We just need to give this plan time to work."

"We've given it enough time." Octagon said and walked away down the hall. MajesticQ stood by and watched, the gunshots from the soldiers outside ringing in her ear like a horrible nightmare.

* * *

><p>The Home Sky Ale House was completely silent for most of the day. The Pack of Wanderers was out exploring the city individually, or at least that's what Frank thought, and the pub was vacant and clean for once.<p>

Frank, being the only user in the bar other than Roth, had cleaned up the mess that he crafted that morning and was sitting at the counter, staring at his light orange ale. He looked at the bubbles as they fizzed to the top. The beverage was untouched; he hadn't taken a sip from it in the twelve minutes that it had been made.

The creaking footsteps alerted him that Roth was coming down the stairs. He turned his head and rolled his eyes as he noticed the Imperial guard emerging from the upper level, his hair straightened after brushing it, "Feeling better, Roth? Or are you still having problems with Eden?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. There haven't been any problems between Eden and I. SunRose is the problem; I think she might be jealous of us now." Roth sat beside Frank and looked at the still ale on the counter.

"Has SunRose ever shown any interest in you before this?"

Roth thought back to when he first met SunRose; it was when they were captured by the Imperial Army and taken to Bastil. From then they never really spoke to each other and kept to themselves. This made the situation even more puzzling, "I don't think so but that could have changed. SunRose is a mysterious girl."

"Have you even thought about what she said in the slightest?" Frank stood up and poured the ale out in the back room, "You may not know SunRose that well, but the same goes for Eden."

"Shut up, Frank," Roth walked to the front door and opened it up in a fit, "you don't know shit about love. You think you love Serenade but you're just letting your hormones get the best of you."

Frank walked to the counter and stared at Roth as he left.

"He'll learn eventually, I hope."

* * *

><p>With the students gone for the day, the College of the Rising was out of most people's thoughts. It was one the far edge of town so the only way someone could actually be reminded of it is if they looked directly at the glass tower, which is an awful idea because of how it reflected the sun.<p>

"Serenade, I see them."

Serenade jumped up from her seat and looked out the window, her whole body aching with fear, "Let me hide, please! Tell them that I jumped off the island!"

"No, Serenade. It's time that we face this together. You can't run from everything; you'll have to look your fear in the face and flesh in order to move on. Come over here so we can get this over with." Lazarus grabbed Serenade by the arm and tried to pull her over to the door but she repelled.

After getting free of Lazarus' hold, Serenade ran for the stairs but tripped and hit her face on the steps. Blood began streaming from her nose while the officers continued their walk to the college. Lazarus opened the door in advance while Serenade burst into a cry.

The first officer filed into the lobby followed by the other five of them. They heard the cries of Serenade immediately and pulled out handcuffs, "I'm guessing this is the girl that's been violating the rules of the Highland Garden?" The first officer asked Lazarus.

"Now, hold on just a second, sir. There is a reasonable explanation for all of this. If you'll just let us explain ourselves then we can let this little misunderstanding slide." Lazarus walked over to Serenade and sat next to her on the steps. She began crying into his shoulder, not daring to look at the officers.

The officers looked at each other, trying to come to terms with Lazarus' offer, before nodding and putting the handcuffs away, "You don't have much time to explain so explain fast. This had better not be some bullshit excuse."

* * *

><p>Silent Stewart was out for the day, which was an uncommon thing for the library. Whenever someone was entering they would become nervous at the sight of him and remain nearly silent their entire visit. When he was gone was something of a celebration that the library was a bit more lenient on rules and such.<p>

On the left wall, by the same windows that they had sat at for the entire day, Garfunkel looked at Dimitri from across the table. They had their coffee and the books from earlier were returned to their proper places on the shelves so that the two friends could properly discuss their relevant issues.

"So, Master Dimitri," Garfunkel looked at his black coffee, "you're still upset over the events with Rebecca?"

Dimitri looked out the window at the park, not bothering to look at Garfunkel, "She killed herself. I don't see the purpose of trying to avoid that. You seem like the one who's still hurt by it with your wordplay."

"I'm just trying to be calm. I know she was your sister so this topic would have some sort of sensitivity to you, would it not?" Garfunkel sipped the rest of his coffee and placed it in the small trash bin behind him.

The sunlight from the east reflected off the multitude of windows and eventually made its way to the library, where Dimitri leaned back in his chair to get it out of his eyes, "But she was your wife so that must have been worse for you. You loved her and to see her go would have been even more heartbreaking."

Garfunkel took a deep breath, "So maybe I am still hung up on her. That is not my problem, though; my problem is that you are trying to avoid the subject and how you feel. You want consolation without feeling emotional and I'll go ahead and say that you won't get that this way."

"Then so be it!" Dimitri stood up, pounding his fist on the table, "If you don't want to even console your brother-in-law, then you can be that heartless asshole that I thought you were at first."

The lady that was filling in for Stewart walked around the corner and stopped Dimitri from leaving, "Excuse me but either you have to calm down or leave. Stewart would be very angry with your behavior."

"Stewart can bite me. I'm out of here." Dimitri pushed the lady aside and walked out the door as someone else entered.

Garfunkel jumped up and rushed past the lady, following Dimitri outside. The sun bathed all of Babylon in strong radiance and made it feel like evening, "Master Dimitri, wait a minute!" He shouted and ran after Dimitri, who was leaving for his hotel.

Dimitri turned around and stared at Garfunkel angrily, "What do you want? I'm not forgiving you for ignoring my needs. Perhaps some isolation would be best but even you won't consider leaving me alone now. What gives?"

"Master Dimitri, I apologize for the way I was acting in the library!" Garfunkel approached Dimitri calmly, "I understand you are hurt but I'm just disappointed that you refuse to admit it. You need help but you won't get any."

"You assume the biggest lies," Dimitri began walking to the hotel again, "you can think that Rebecca is all that I cared about but you won't understand the fact that I have moved on."

"Then why in Notch's name did you bother to bring up the subject to me, Master Dimitri?" Garfunkel quickly reached Dimitri and pulled him back by the shoulder, "You are accusing me of being the most ignorant bigot but you still expect me to respect you. How is it that you can disrespect me when I am trying to help you through this obvious problem you've wandered into?"

Dimitri stared at Garfunkel, rage building up in his eyes before a single tear came out and dropped off his face, "Then please help me." Dimitri had finally given in and sat on a nearby bench, placing his hands over his tearful face.

Garfunkel sat down beside him, "I just did."

* * *

><p>Business and overall activity around the Highland Garden had died down since the little fight had taken place. Even the shops had closed for the day because of the lack of an audience. Roth approached the area, shocked and confused by the disappearance of not just everybody, but Eden and SunRose too.<p>

"Eden? Where'd you go?" He shouted everywhere, scanning the area multiple times before sitting down on the hill to wait for their return.

The wind was dead that day with the heat becoming a brand new enemy to every person in town. The grass felt unbearable to sit down on and the building looked like they could just melt at any moment. Roth brushed his hand through the grass, feeling the heat on his palms and letting his rage over SunRose and Frank go.

Finally, after ten minutes of sitting and doing nothing, he stood up and made his way back up the hill to see a teenage user, approximately fifteen, in a blue striped polo and cargo shorts with a shaven head. He stood there, watching Roth walk up the hill, and began following Roth to the stairs silently.

"Sir?" The kid finally spoke up.

Roth turned around to the kid, "Yeah? What's up?"

"Was that girl your girlfriend?"

"Which girl?"

The kid scratched his head, "I think it was that little one that got beat up."

Roth's eyes shot wide open in surprise, "What did you just say?"

"You pushed that little girlfriend of yours down earlier."

"She's not my girlfriend, okay? But I didn't beat her up!"

"You didn't; that other girl with her did."

Fists clenched, Roth sat down on the stairs and began pounding the steps with his fist, "Damn it! Why didn't anyone go to the goddamn police? If you see somebody getting hurt you tell someone!"

The teenager became teary eyed before walking off.

"Shit," Roth became furious again, looking at his bruised fist. Standing up, he turned back to the teenager before he disappeared around the corner, "hey, could you come here for a second? I won't yell at you anymore."

The teenager walked back over while wiping his eyes, "Yeah?"

"You have to tell me where those girls went. I need to know."

The teen lifted his arm and pointed to Aquarius Mountain, "I remembered seeing the bigger one pick up the smaller one and take her over there. I don't know if they did go over there or not but that's the direction they went in."

"Thank you, man." Roth drew his sword and ran down the steps at full speed. Where and what he was heading into was a mystery but that didn't matter to him; he wanted the truth now.

* * *

><p>The Redstone in Aquarius Mountain felt different than the Redstone of elsewhere; it felt softer, like sand. Most Redstone felt like some sort of clay in the form of sand and with a red color. This came to Sabre_Mace's realization as he felt onto his back, his body getting covered by Redstone.<p>

Echo slowly approached him and pointed the tip of his spear at his face, "Isaac, I don't understand why you decide to not protect those who have done nothing. Killing me will protect them, Isaac; you must protect them. For me."

Their blades collided again as Sabre_Mace jumped to his feet and dashed at Echo quickly. His sword swung diagonally at the rebel but was blocked by the spear. Echo, with his opponent's sword nearly in his possession, slowly turned his spear so that it was aimed at Sabre_Mace's head.

"You wouldn't dare! You want me to kill you!" Sabre_Mace kicked Echo backwards, sending him onto the stairs, "Why are you trying to kill me when you want me to kill you?"

"Because I know you understand life and death better than I had expected," Echo stood up and retracted his spear into his gun, "it is natural for you, a user with such strong anger and emotion, to retract in violent nature. If you are not willing to bring me to an end then I'll have to provoke you."

Sabre_Mace slid back a bit and threw his sword to the ground, "Then I'll end this right here and stop fighting. It's pointless!"

"You'll regret it." Echo dashed forward again, the spear dragging in the air behind him. He sliced the air horizontally to hit Sabre_Mace but missed, watching Sabre_Mace duck and roll out of the way.

Without missing his chance, he shot the spear forward into the air and swung it to the right. The rope that attached the spear to the gun collided with Sabre_Mace just as he got to his feet and tied itself around his neck. This pushed him to his knees and put Echo at an advantage.

Sabre_Mace looked over at his diamond sword and then at Echo, who was standing in front of him with a look of disappointment on his face, "You would never do this. What has gotten into you?"

"The future is desired by everyone, including you. You are killing that desire by letting me live," Echo released the rope and stepped back as Sabre_Mace fell onto his side, gasping for air, "kill the Noble Horsemen and end Obsidian666's nonsense. You may not know this but us Noble Horsemen are the only ones who know of Obsidian666's involvement in the Dragon Prophecy. Those other rebels are out fighting for a nonsensical cause and you're letting them give their lives for no reason. Either let me live and kill them or kill me and let them know the truth."

Just as his vision began to become a blur, Sabre_Mace felt a strong jab in his stomach. Echo kicked him repeatedly until he got to his feet and ran for his sword to protect himself.

Echo nodded, "Good. Now finish this once and for all."

"You don't understand Echo! I don't want death at-" Sabre_Mace couldn't even voice his opinion again before Echo attacked. He leaped forward and stabbed his spear downward over Sabre_Mace. The young user rolled forward and spun around with his sword without thought. He looked behind him and noticed that Echo was gone.

Sabre_Mace stood there for a few seconds before noticing a shadow from above. He looked up and saw Echo there, dangling from the spear that he had shot into the side of the mountain. The rebel dropped down and began furiously slashing at Sabre_Mace, hitting him only twice on the shoulders. Blood began to run down his arm and force him to drop his sword again. He fell to his knees and felt as Echo kicked him again in the face.

"We can end this fight, Isaac." Echo walked over to Sabre_Mace, who was shaking in pain on the ground.

"But I won't if it revolves around your unnecessary death," Sabre_Mace pulled himself to his feet and picked up his sword. He got into a fighting stance, his sword out front, and prepared for Echo's next attack, "why don't you just kill me then?"

* * *

><p>The sound of the explosion at the top of the mountain had startled the inner town of Babylon. Anyone indoors left to go outside and see what had happened. The billowing smoke and debris that was coming out of the peak caused some panic in the town but<br>no evacuation was found necessary.

"Blimey, what is going on?" Garfunkel stood up from the bench with Dimitri. They gazed at the mountain of smoke that had erupted from the top and the debris that was flying everywhere in the city. Garfunkel looked over and noticed an officer beginning to run towards the forest, "Officer, what is going on?"

"No one has any idea. Aquarius can't possibly be a volcano so some sort of explosive was used. None of that matters, right now; the civilians in the forest need to be gathered up and taken into the inner city. Gentlemen, can you give me a hand?" The officer asked and ran ahead.

Dimitri sat back down, "I'll watch over the civilians in the inner city. Go help the officer get those people out of there."

Garfunkel nodded, although unsure of whether Dimitri was going to actually help or lazily sit around, and ran ahead with the officer.

* * *

><p>The explosion caused a slight tremble in the earth underneath Babylon, sort of like an earthquake. All the glasses inside the Home Sky Ale House had fallen from their places and crashed onto the floor. Frank sat there, staring at them as the glass flew everywhere.<p>

"Damn rebels," He said and stood up, reaching for a hidden holster on his side containing a gun, "won't let them hurt Serenade. They'll pay if they touch her." He exited the pub after turning off the lights, not planning on going back again.

* * *

><p>Most of the police force in Babylon kept on with their business despite the growing concern over the explosion on Aquarius Mountain. Only an officer or two had actually begun to investigate the problem but all the others kept right along with what they already had on their hands, such as the "criminal" behind the Highland Garden case.<p>

"Lady Serenade, despite who your father is, I can't exactly allow for you to continue on without paying for what you have done." The first officer said while taking notes on a small notepad.

Lazarus stood up and pushed the officers back away from Serenade, "You have to understand that she has a life outside of Babylon. She doesn't even live here; she's only here on important business that can't be interrupted."

The officer pushed Lazarus back, "And I'm guessing this important business has to do with picking flowers from our sacred garden?"

The professor sat back down and remained silent.

* * *

><p>The smoke barely made its way into the forest. Roth was still uncertain of where he was going but pursued this mystery of his with confidence. The smoke wasn't dense enough that he couldn't see so the outlines and locations of the various cabins in the forest area were there. None of them stood out in any way from each other.<p>

"Excuse me, citizen," a voice shouted from behind Roth. He turned around and saw an officer catch up to him with a flashlight, "it's not safe to be here."

Roth looked around at the cabins again, "I'm, uh, actually here to help get everyone out. Do you know anyone in particular who lives in these cabins?"

The officer shook his head and moved onwards down the trail, "No one in particular. Only a few people live here but a lot of others come down just to hang out. The cabins closer to the mountain are usually the ones that are used though."

"Oh, fantastic." Roth groaned.

Suddenly the officer stopped, "What is this? Blood?"

Roth ran to where the officer was and noticed that there did appear to be a drop of blood on the dirt path. He looked around for anymore and saw another drop on the grass nearby, "There appears to be something serious going on. I'll investigate while you evacuate everyone."

"No, I'll handle this. It's what I usually do, after all." The officer said and began following a trail of blood drops into the smoke. Roth lost sight of the officer and began walking down the path a bit further before turning back after no sighting of him for a while. After finding the blood drop he began following the path again until he finally arrived to a cabin made of straight-up wood; no wood planks.

Without bothering with knocking, he slid the door open and stepped inside the lit room. He stepped forward a bit more until he felt something squish underneath him. He gripped his sword tightly and looked down at the dead body of the officer from earlier with knives dug deeply into his neck.

"Roth! Help!" SunRose cried.

Roth looked up and saw SunRose suddenly present, tied to a wooden pole by rope. He stepped forward and was about to cut the rope before he felt a knife scratch the skin on his right arm. The wound stung and made him lose focus of the rope, "Damn it, SunRose! Who did this? Was it Eden?"

"I'm sorry I couldn't have you all to myself, Roth," Eden began to talk, leaning against the right wall with throwing knives in her hand, "but SunRose got in the way and both of you are useless now."

"Why did you have to do this, Eden?" Roth looked at Eden, trying to ignore the stinging pain from his wound. He tried his best to grip his sword but it began to slip from his hand.

Eden prepared a knife, "Because it was necessary. Obsidian666 ordered for Echo and I to lead the infiltration of Babylon. You were merely a stepping stone in the operation until that little girl got involved. For that you both will die."

Roth became red in the face, "You will stay away from her!" He ran at Eden and swung his sword at her but was blocked by a rather large knife she had. She pushed him off and used her other hand to grab a knife from her belt. As Roth stumbled backwards she sent the knife flying through the air and into his right arm, forcing his sword onto the ground from lack of a grip.

Now that his guard was down Eden went forth and took the knife from his right arm and dug it into his left. Roth let out a shriek of pain before collapsing to the floor with blood streaming from his arms. Eden stood up and looked at SunRose, who was about to faint from the reality that she was next to die, with her knife ready to finish the job.

* * *

><p>Business all across the city had shut down following the explosion. Most of the florists worried about their flowers only, not bothering to touch their stands unlike those who sold food and such. Harrison, on the other hand, was determined to keep his business open as a means of taking in more revenue.<p>

"Come all to the top flower stand in all of Babylon!" He tried to draw in the passing citizens who were trying to get further away from the forest surrounding Aquarius Mountain. Not a single person seemed to pay any attention to his business.

Until Frank approached the stand with a menacing look on his face. He drew the gun from his holster, pushed Harrison up against the wall, and pushed the gun to his throat, "You will let Serenade go this instant. I won't let you or anyone hurt her."

Harrison pushed Frank away, "What makes you think she's with me? I fired that insane woman yesterday. Who are you anyway? Friend of hers or something?"

"You might say," Frank holstered his gun and began looking around anxiously, "if she ain't with you then where is she? I need to make sure she's safe."

"I saw some older dude come by last night and take her away. I think I might have seen him around the college but I'm not too sure." Harrison backed away into his house, giving up on his shop for now.

Frank looked to the glass tower on the college, "Lazarus."

* * *

><p>"Lady Serenade, I deeply apologize but there isn't any real evidence protecting you from the law right now," the first officer said and removed his handcuffs, "if you come now then there will be no further problems."<p>

The front doors swung open and Frank walked in, removing his gun from the holster and aiming at the officers, "She isn't going anywhere. Leave her alone."

The officers turned around and drew their guns. They stood in place, their fingers hovering over the trigger, expecting for Frank to shoot one of them down, "Who are you, sir?" The first officer stepped to the front of the group and stared down Frank.

"You can call me Frank, sir. I am here to take Serenade here and depart from this city that is obviously losing control of what it stands for in the first place." He walked past the officers and helped Serenade to her feet.

The officers began swarming around the two, making sure that neither of them could leave. Frank aimed his gun at them again until the first officer ordered for the others to put away their guns, "Frank, do you actually understand what is going on in this city? The Redstone Rebellion is beginning to evolve and this lady here might be one of them."

Frank looked at Serenade, who shook her head, "Serenade isn't a Redstone Rebel. What makes you accuse her of such malicious things?"

"She stole from the Highland Garden!" The officers all shouted at the same time.

Serenade was pushed back as Frank marched forward and stuck his gun to the throat of the first officer, "And how will that affect you in the slightest, sir? Are you going to turn her life around because you people are too lazy to go and grow some more? Things aren't going to stay the same as they were years ago; it's time to let it go and let people live like they should."

"The garden is one of the most sacred places in all of Anascentia! Are you actually trying to tell me that letting it go to waste is going to solve all the problems that surround us? You seem to not see the same way we do." The first officer pushed Frank away and pointed his gun at him.

"The lives of your people are at stake because of your bigotry. If you continue to live by these standards then the entire city is going to revolt against you. Then things will become even worse," Frank dropped his gun and kicked it over to the officers, "I dropped my weapon, so can you do the same? Let's be reasonable here."

The first officer picked up the gun and emptied it of bullets. He began inspecting the wire-like design carved into its wooden body, "Interesting gun you have here, sir. Where did you get it? I've never seen one quite like it."

"I was kidnapped by a band of Redstone Rebels. You might say I am one but I know better than to tag along with them. They gave me that gun as a means of protection and ever since I left them I kept it with me at all times in case times like these arose." Frank grabbed Serenade's arm and began slowly making his way to the door while the first officer was distracted. The other officers aimed their guns but became worried when their commander, the first officer, never gave the order to shoot.

"Then keep it," the first officer tossed the gun to Frank and he stored it into its holster, "good on you for being mature. Never seen such determination in someone before. Keep that Lady Serenade out of trouble, you hear? Those flowers aren't restored so easily."

Serenade and Frank nodded happily before leaving.

The officers turned back towards Lazarus, who was still sitting on the steps, "Can I leave now that this is over? I have some planning to do for tomorrow."

"Go ahead." The first officer replied before filing out with the others.

* * *

><p>"Officer!" Garfunkel shouted through the smoke that filled the forest in front of Aquarius Mountain. He had apparently lost his companion and was alone, wandering aimlessly into what looked like a war-zone. Continuing down the path that he could only see he eventually came across something that froze him in his tracks – the entrance to the mountain.<p>

* * *

><p>SunRose remained as still as possible while being watched by Eden. She was still tied up against the wooden pole, the feeling of death looming while Roth remained still and silent on the floor. The constriction of the ropes had already left deep marks on her body and the fact that she was about to be stabbed mercilessly by Eden made the situation all the worse.<p>

"How scared are you, SunRose?" Eden asked while leaning against the wall by the front door. She still had the knives in her hand and ready for an execution at any minute.

"Pretty scared. Why wouldn't I be? I mean, I'm being held as a prisoner by someone my friend thought he could trust. What could possibly be worse?" SunRose moved around under the ropes a bit to get a bit more comfortable but only made it the opposite.

Eden walked over to Roth and kicked his body aside and then continued onto SunRose, "How about you being dead by my hand? I thought I had it rough when I could only get to Roth but now that you're in my hands it looks like things are looking up for me." She readied one knife and positioned it close to SunRose's neck.

It was at this moment that the Redstone Rebel dropped the knife out of shock. She felt something wrap around her left ankle, making her hair stand up on end and her lose her focus on SunRose. She looked down and saw Roth, still down and bloody, grabbing onto her leg and pulling on her desperately, "Let her go before another person gets hurt."

"I thought I finished you off!" Eden grabbed one of her knives and bashed down on Roth with the sharp edge. Before it had dug into his head Roth grabbed onto her wrist with his other hand and twisted it, making her drop the knife and back up in pain.

Roth stood up and grabbed the knife, pointing the tip of it at Eden, "You can't finish me off, Eden. You can outsmart me and you can knock me out but when you dare to hurt a friend in my presence you will never kill me." He threw the knife at her as she backed against the wall but the knife only landed into the wood beside her.

Still determined to kill both of them, she removed the knife and ran at Roth. He picked up his iron sword and swung it at her, clashing with the knife before sending it flying across the room and making Eden disarmed. She fell to her knees, tearing up and preparing to be finished off by Roth.

"Kill her, Roth!" SunRose shouted, squirming under the ropes.

The Imperial guard rolled his eyes and pushed her onto her back with his foot. He walked over to SunRose and successfully cut the ropes this time. She stood up and began stretching her arms and legs for the first time in nearly a few hours.

"Why didn't you?" Eden backed up, crawling away from Roth.

Roth sheathed his sword, "Because you're just as foolish as I was." He turned to the door and walked outside with SunRose. The black smoke soon entering into the cabin and engulfing Eden, who only leaned against the wall, holding the large knife to her chest.

* * *

><p>The edge of the steps dug into Sabre_Mace's back. He moaned and tried to get up but could only watch as Echo approached him. He had removed his glasses and dropped them to the ground while getting closer to the stairs, an empty look on his face.<p>

"Why can't you just listen to me for one goddamn minute, Echo?" Sabre_Mace shouted, barely able to look up because of the stiffness of his neck. The sunlight from above gave the scenario a surreal-type feeling to him as he gripped the edges of the steps to both sides of him.

Echo placed his right foot on Sabre_Mace's chest, "Because you won't understand how the Dragon Prophecy and Obsidian666 work. I'm trying to lead you in the direction that will help you but you continue to believe that my existence will contribute to your little cause. It's time that you know that not everyone will live forever and I'm no exception."

"Master Mace, are you in there?"

Echo stepped off of Sabre_Mace and turned to the entrance of the mountain to see Garfunkel, approaching without having much of an understanding of the situation, "I see your friends are coming here now. What a delight."

Sabre_Mace looked up and nearly began having a panic attack at the sight of Garfunkel in Echo's presence, "Old man, get the hell out of here! He's going to kill you!"

"Now that's just silly," Echo smirked and swung the rope attaching the spear to the gun around the confused Garfunkel's neck and pulled him to his knees, "his time hasn't come. Until you decide to bring an end to me then this will only be torture for this sweet old man."

"You wouldn't dare!" Sabre_Mace was breathing heavily at Garfunkel's horrified face.

The elderly user reached out his hand for Sabre_Mace but was kicked back slightly by Echo, who only stared at Garfunkel as he endured this pain.

"Echo, let him go now!" Sabre_Mace slowly pushed himself to his feet and tried to approach Echo but knew that he wouldn't be able to change anything. Looking not too far from him was his diamond sword, stuck in the ground from the battle. He quickly ran to it and used whatever strength he had left to pull it out and point it at Echo, "This can end! Just let him go!"

Echo remained still, tightening his grip on Garfunkel.

"Leave him alone! He has nothing to do with this!"

Echo closed his eyes slowly as Garfunkel was about to lose consciousness.

"Stop!" Sabre_Mace, without another choice, charged at Echo, the blade of his sword pointing down, and slammed the tip into his back. Blood seeped down his black outfit and onto Sabre_Mace's diamond sword, staining both. The rope around Garfunkel finally loosened and let him get air while Echo fell sideways onto the ground, the blood devouring the Redstone around him.

Sabre_Mace pulled his sword out and threw it aside before kneeling beside Echo, horrified with tears about what he had just done, "Echo, I'm sorry! Please don't die! I don't know what I was doing!" He cried into Echo's black wool outfit.

"Isaac," Echo pushed Sabre_Mace away slightly, "don't be sad. Be happy that your friends are alive; all five of them. Protect them with all the power you have and take down Obsidian666. Follow the flowers, Isaac."

Blood began to cover Sabre_Mace's hands. He wiped them on his blazer before taking it off and throwing it on top of his sword, "I will! You can count on that!" He continued to cry while standing up, watching as Echo's eyes twitched.

"Be happy, Isaac; for the both of us." Echo whispered before his eyes closed for the last time. All of his limbs went limp as the blood kept flooding from his body. He had a slight smirk on his face, which quickly became pale.

"Master Mace!" Garfunkel shouted as he finally got to his feet, his breathing back to normal. He ran over to Sabre_Mace, who was on the verge of tears, and hugged him tightly, "Master Mace, we need to get out of here. Do you understand me?"

Sabre_Mace shook his head and picked up his sword and blazer, "Enough of this. Kill me, Garfunkel; kill me so that Obsidian666 has no one else to fulfill the prophecy. Put an end to this death of the innocent!" He handed his sword to Garfunkel, who threw it back on the ground.

"Do you know what you are even saying? Death isn't necessary to save Anascentia, Master Mace. We just need to have our hopes. We all believe in you so you needn't cause your death like this." Garfunkel watched as Sabre_Mace sat down on the steps, trying to stop crying.

"Then what the hell do you expect me to do?" Sabre_Mace asked.

Garfunkel sat down beside Sabre_Mace, "Move on."

The two sat there, the light shining over them beautifully.

"Echo would always remind me that it is September of Love."

"What exactly does that mean?" Garfunkel was semi-glad that Sabre_Mace had stopped crying.

"It means that the roses are in bloom now."

Garfunkel nodded, "I used to be in love before."

"Really?" Sabre_Mace wiped away his tears and put back on his blazer despite it being sort of bloody.

"I was married," Garfunkel recalled solemnly, "her name was Rebecca and we had an incredible relationship. I met her in the Northern Sands while doing some excavating. Her brother Dimitri and I became good friends and we were all a close family until…"

"Until?"

"She killed herself."

Sabre_Mace looked at the ground, "…why?"

"Life became too hard for her. We had only been married for a few months before she drowned herself. Dimitri was never the same so I moved back to Imperial City and befriended Miss SunRose and Master Octagon. Eventually you came into our lives and, well, we were never the same as well."

Sabre_Mace nodded with no reply.

"I moved on, Master Mace. Despite the death of someone I truly cared for unlike anyone else I prevailed and continued to succeed where I am needed," Garfunkel stood up and helped Sabre_Mace to his feet, "you shall now do the same."

"But one thing before we leave." Sabre_Mace grabbed his sword and tried to ignore the dead body of Echo on the Redstone in front of him.

"What is it?" Garfunkel had begun walking up the steps to the outside.

"Whatever happened to Octagon?"

Garfunkel gulped loudly and looked up at the sunlight at the top of the stairs, which showed that the smoke had cleared for the most part, "We needn't worry about it, Master Mace. We will find him eventually and understand what is going on. We just need to give it time."

Sabre_Mace nodded and followed Garfunkel up to the forest.

* * *

><p>A large crowd had gathered around the Balloon Depot during the explosion as people were terrified and wanted to leave immediately since the balloons were open to the public again. Now that the smoke had cleared and no panic was needed, the area around the depot was clear except for a man and girl, standing patiently on the grass by the balloons.<p>

"Where are the others?" SunRose asked, feeling the burn marks that had been left by the ropes on her stomach. She rubbed it slightly with her index finger when Roth wasn't looking.

Roth kept watch at the streets in the city for anyone, "The Home Sky Ale House was locked so we must be leaving soon. That makes sense, right?"

SunRose nodded.

"It makes sense, right?"

"Right."

The two waited for another ten minutes before seeing two familiar figures – a tall man in a sailor outfit carrying a gun and a woman slightly shorter than him in a blue dress. They were quickly walking towards the Balloon Depot, looking behind them in an agitated sort of way, "Is that Frank?"

SunRose looked over and nodded, "And Serenade?"

Frank sighed as they approached the depot and sat down on the grass, "Goddamn police. They are so nosy and shit."

"At least we got out of there, all thanks to you," Serenade smiled and sat down beside him, "you wouldn't believe what happened to us, guys."

"Frank just said something about the police so I do not want to know," Roth replied and looked into the city, "where are Sabre_Mace and Garfunkel? The pub was locked so I thought we were all leaving then."

Frank stretched and lay down on the grass, "We tried to go into the pub but it was locked. I guess great minds think alike, right? Anyway, I don't know where they are. Haven't seen either since this morning."

"Do you want me to go into the city and look for them?" Serenade asked.

"Don't bother. You should stay out of the city for a while after all that's happened," Frank advised and looked at his empty gun, "bastards took my bullets."

Roth laughed nervously trying to imagine what Frank had just gone through, "Anyway, we have time to spare. It's only the afternoon, right? Imperial City shouldn't take too long to get back to now that we actually know where we're going."

"Hopefully you aren't leaving without us!" Garfunkel shouted as him and Sabre_Mace approached unexpectedly from a group of users wandering the streets. Everyone was distracted by the blood on Sabre_Mace's diamond sword and blazer but tried to look past that, "the pub was locked so we thought you all had decided to ditch us for no reason."

Frank rolled his eyes, "Please, we'd never do that."

"So I'm guessing we're all heading back to Imperial City now?" Roth asked, stepping closer to the Balloon Depot, where a man in blue was waiting to serve them.

Garfunkel sat down on a rather large rock and began thinking back to the library, "Well, I'm not too sure, to be honest, because what I've learned has become something… strange."

"What do you mean?" Frank stood up next to Serenade.

"I was studying in the library when I learned of a weapon called the Obsidian Magma Blade. From what has been reported about it, it can only be used by the warrior with a heart of diamond," he pointed to Sabre_Mace, who was standing beside SunRose, "and by the way that Redstone Rebels have been involved in the events of the past few days, I fear that they are beginning to advance in their plans."

Roth thought about that matter as well, "So then your point is?"

"If we are actually considering stopping Obsidian666 then we want to keep both the Diamond Compass and the Obsidian Magma Blade from him. What might be necessary is that two people go for the blade in the Obsidian Flats region, two go for the compass, and then two return to Imperial City," Garfunkel stood up and looked over the edge of the floating island, "I, of course, would be returning to Imperial City."

Everyone looked at each other, wondering who would go together.

Roth sighed and put his hand on Garfunkel's shoulder, "I'll return with you. I need to report back to Bastil and see how he is doing. Don't want my leader to be concerned with anything."

Sabre_Mace looked to SunRose, "We'll go for the compass."

"What?" Everyone else was shocked.

"What?" Sabre_Mace was confused by their reactions.

Garfunkel walked over to Sabre_Mace, "The blade, Master Mace!"

"What about it?"

"Shouldn't you go for it?"

"I'm the only one who can use it, apparently. Wouldn't it make more sense to have it but keep it away from me?" Sabre_Mace pointed out. Garfunkel thought about it for a second before nodding in agreement and turning to Frank and Serenade.

"So you two are going for the sword, then?" Garfunkel asked.

Frank looked at Serenade, who hugged his arm, "I guess we are."

Everyone nodded at them and turned towards the Balloon Depot. They walked up to the man in blue, bought themselves some tickets, and entered onto the balloon for their departure.

As the balloon descended to the land below, Sabre_Mace leaned against the edge, looking at the massive mountains in the distance that he would have to cross. He felt a slight brush of air on his right arm. He turned to see SunRose looking at the mountains as well, "Scared?" she asked jokingly.

"Seriously? I've taken down squids and such. A few mountains aren't going to hurt me," He laughed and looked below the balloon at the sand that was so far down, "the question really is whether or not you're prepared for the unknown."

SunRose nodded, "I was tied to a wooden pole for most of the day with rope burn marks still on my stomach. I think I'll be able to handle these mountains."

Sabre_Mace looked over, wide-eyed and disturbed by what she had just said, "You have what?"

"Don't ask."

"Right."

SunRose smiled, "It's good that we've gotten along now, ya know?"

"Yep. September is a good month, too."

"I guess so."

Sabre_Mace nodded slowly, "September of Love, SunRose. September of Love."

* * *

><p><strong>Hopefully everyone has enjoyed the story so far. Expect the future chapters to be really character driven as this is sort of what the story goes for - the chemistry of both people who are from Minecraft and people who aren't.<strong>

**As a side note, I don't know why but in previous chapters I mentioned that Sabre_Mace wore a "beater" when I meant to say "blazer". Hopefully that didn't confuse y'all too much.**


	15. 2 0 The Name is Isaac

**Well, it sure is good to be back.**

**And wouldn't you know it, Tales of Anascentia is up and running now!**

**Speaking of which, this chapter you are about to read is related to the first entry in Tales of Anascentia titled "Fistful of Sin". Feel free to check that out in order to understand the full back story. Remember this as well: anyone can contribute to Tales of Anascentia.**

**Regarding this chapter, expect nothing spectacular. It's really just sort of a boost as three separate story lines are about to begin. If you do somehow enjoy it please leave a review.**

**I do not own Minecraft.**

* * *

><p>Despite its miniscule size in the sky from a user's point of view, the sun was the biggest threat on any day and occasion. Whether or not you're alone, the sun will always be there, one step ahead of you. Well, not you specifically but generally speaking. The heat and monotonous walking in the Sand Sea Desert is enough to drive someone to suicide but then the question is simple – how?<p>

If the sun becomes a threat and you can't take it anymore, you have to suffer. There is no water to drown yourself in; the only real way to accomplish such a task is by suffocating yourself or using whatever you have with you. If neither will work for you, then you persevere and move on.

The sun is both the motivation and the main villain.

"Hey, guys," Sabre_Mace said, "I've got this weird thought. What if… what if the sun was a bad guy?"

SunRose sighed and fell to her knees, "Great, now the heat is getting to you, of all people. I was hoping that you would remain sane but I guess not."

"Quit complaining. He's probably just joking." Frank said.

Sabre_Mace drew his sword and began stabbing the tip into the sand they were walking on, "What's that suppose to mean? I'm not always screwing around. Hell, I'm probably one of the few people that remain serious in this party of people."

"Roth was more serious than you. When you first came into this world you weren't serious about anything. What happened all of a sudden? You seem a bit down in the dumps." SunRose grabbed a handful of sand and threw it.

The moment that Echo fell to the ground lifelessly came back to Sabre_Mace's memory. The sheer pain and guilt he felt as one of the few people he cared for died by his own sword was enough to send him into tears. That did not occur, however, as he decided not to answer.

"Roth was a bit not serious as well, remember?" Serenade recalled to when they were entering into the sewers, "Now he seems rather motivated by something."

SunRose remembered Eden and how emotional Roth felt over her betrayal, "Yeah, well… ya know…"

"We almost there yet, SunRose? I thought you were keeping track of this." Sabre_Mace stepped to the top of a tall sand dune. Everyone else followed behind and looked out into the distance where a field of windmills blew slowly in the subtle breeze.

"I think so." SunRose responded as the group raced down the dune.

* * *

><p>At the front gate of the mysterious town, two guards became cautious as the Pack of Wanderers (what remained of them, anyway) approached at a quick speed. They stopped inches from the gate and smiled politely at the guards, "Can we enter?" Frank asked rudely.<p>

The guards looked at each other before turning back to the quartet, "Excuse me? We don't let just anyone into Fontaine. Not after what happened last time, anyway."

"What happened last time?" SunRose asked.

"None of your business!" One of the guards shouted, "What do you want here anyway?"

Sabre_Mace eyed the various buildings in the town, "Just someplace to rest. We have a long trek that we want to start soon so the sooner you let us into this place the better."

The guards looked at each other again before a tall, aging man in a gray striped suit and top hat approached the gate from behind. He carried a black cane and had a trimmed beard, "What's going on, men? You've been standing here like you're about to piss your pants."

SunRose looked down at the guards' legs, which were trembling.

"Sorry, Nolan. We just aren't too sure what to do about these people. Not after what happened last time, anyway." The guards said and stepped aside.

"That was several years ago, men. How do you expect to show our hospitality when you're shaking over when you might encounter the next Priscilla?" Nolan looked at the group and smiled, "I'm terribly sorry about that. What would you like now?"

"Someplace to rest for just a little while. We won't cause any trouble. We promise." Sabre_Mace said, tapping the handle of his sword.

Nolan nodded and looked at the guards, "I don't see the problem here."

The gates slid open and the group walked on inside. Nolan decided to be a gentleman and guide them to the nearby pub where most people decided to eat. He opened the door and led them to a booth where they all sat down quietly. Something about Nolan keeping up with them was unsettling.

A waitress walked on over to the booth with a notepad, "Hi, darlings! What can I do ya for?"

Sabre_Mace looked around for a menu, "Um, can we have a menu first?"

The waitress looked puzzled for a minute before walking behind the counter.

"What was that about?" Frank chuckled, "I'm already starting to dislike this place."

"This place doesn't use menus. The waitresses behind the counter assume that you already know what you want. I guess I should have told you that  
>beforehand. I apologize." Nolan said and pulled up a chair to the booth.<p>

Everyone looked awkwardly towards him as he stroked his beard.

"Can we help you?" Sabre_Mace asked.

Nolan nodded, "You may not have known this but I am Mayor Nolan. I run everything here in Fontaine and make sure life is everyone lives a peaceful life."

"And?" Serenade asked, "What does that have to do with us? We're getting ready to leave again so we don't really have to worry about-"

Nolan pounded his fist on the table, "That's what they all say. Listen – a few years back a woman came through this very town and sat in this very booth. She was beautiful and I wanted to love her with all my heart but she was keeping a secret from me – a secret that cost her life."

They all froze from this random blurt of information.

"What kind of secret?" SunRose asked, inching closer to Serenade.

"She was keeping a group of rogue Eteru safe. She was allowing the enemy to live on peacefully so that they could eventually steal our swine and destroy the economy that made this town!" Nolan stood up and began to cry a bit, "I trusted her and she practically laughed at me for how stupid I was being – I was so oblivious."

Frank leaned over to Sabre_Mace, "What's an Eteru?"

"They're beings from the Aether." SunRose whispered and signaled for Frank to be quiet. Everyone continued to focus their attention on Nolan, who continued on with his rant for another ten minutes before the waitress came back to the booth.

She pulled out a notepad and pen, "What would you like?"

"But what about our menus?" Frank complained.

Sabre_Mace rolled his eyes, "Just give us pork. We'll manage."

* * *

><p>Evening arrived in the land of Anascentia like any other day. The only reasoning I would need to describe that is to progress the story. The sun was resting in the horizon, far beyond the reaches of Fontaine's walls. Sabre_Mace leaned against the eastern walls, staring up at the gargantuan mountains that he and SunRose would be ascending very soon.<p>

"That Nolan man is very strange." SunRose approached Sabre_Mace.

"He's a complete jackass, that's what," Sabre_Mace sighed and sat down on a nearby wooden bench, "did Serenade get us a room?"

SunRose nodded and sat down beside Sabre_Mace, "Do you think what Nolan has been doing is right?"

"What has he been doing exactly? So far he's only expressed his rage against these people. Has he ever actually acted upon his rage?"

"Well…" SunRose scratched her neck.

Sabre_Mace became slightly worried with where SunRose was going, "Well what?"

"There have been rumors floating around that he has a criminal record of some sort," SunRose began to think deeply about where she heard those rumors, "they were rather vague but were enough to get noticed and put him under suspicious watch."

"What the hell does that mean?"

SunRose stood up and stretched, "Who knows. Let's get some rest."

As SunRose began to walk away to the inn, Sabre_Mace took one last look at the mountains before following behind her at a distance. The day could finally be put to rest.

* * *

><p>Sabre_Mace couldn't sleep for the life of him. Lying in his inn room, which he shared with Serenade, SunRose, and Frank, he could only feel the cold breeze blowing in from outside. The warmth of his leather blanket was rather numb, which he disliked very much. Numbness was one of the very things he was afraid of.<p>

Looking out of the window just above him at the starry sky, he sighed and began to feel his heart pounding. _If I didn't kill Echo… would he be here with us now?_Sabre_Mace thought to himself.

Suddenly the beating of his heart became a bit worrisome. All of his limbs began to tremble intensely as he began to endure yet another seizure-like attack. He clenched the leather blanket and closed his eyes, waiting for the mysterious malfunction to come to an end.

Lights flashed in his eyes – colors from white to red to blue flashed everywhere. For a quick instant he could make out a human figure standing over him, wires protruding from out of the walls.

The vision abruptly ended as he came back to reality. He stared at the ceiling, nearly in tears from feeling so alone.

The bitter loneliness that he detested just as much as numbness.

* * *

><p>The next morning Sabre_Mace was the last person to wake up in the group. Everyone else had already made their way to the pub to get breakfast and prepare for their trip. They were all done with their food by the time Sabre_Mace had arrived inside the diner.<p>

"Oh, sorry. Should we have waited for you?" SunRose apologized.

"Nah, don't worry about it," Sabre_Mace said and sat down in the booth, "are we all set? I don't want to waste any more time here."

"And why is that?" Nolan asked, entering through the door.

Everyone turned to look at the mayor as he approached the booth.

"We have places to be." Frank said, drinking his glass of milk.

"I see," Nolan said and looked at Sabre_Mace, "never got your names. Could you please introduce yourselves before you leave? You seem rather different than most people who travel through here. Especially the last one."

Sabre_Mace looked at everyone before introducing them all to Nolan, "I'm Sabre_Mace, or you can also call me Isaac; this is Frank; that's SunRose; and next to her is Serenade."

Nolan nodded and put his hands in his pockets, "Fascinating."

"Out of curiosity, Mister Mayor, what have you people been talking about regarding this last one?" Sabre_Mace stood up, "I heard this all the time yesterday like it was a bad thing. What exactly happened besides she was hiding some Eteru?"

"That's just it! She was keeping those abominations safe when they should have been slain upon being encountered with!" Nolan began to become furious again.

"And?" Sabre_Mace leaned on the table while everyone began to become interested in his confidence, "What have the Eteru ever done to you?"  
>Nolan's face became bright red, "They steal our swine for their morbid sacrifices! We need those swine to survive!"<p>

"No you don't. You need them in order to keep up with your greedy ways," Sabre_Mace smirked, "what happened to this girl anyways? Did you kill her off like you wanted to kill those Eteru? Speaking of which, what happened to those Eteru once you found out?"

The mayor froze in place while staring at Sabre_Mace.

"Well?" Frank chimed in.

"We're waiting." SunRose said.

"Something the matter?" Serenade asked.

Without another word Nolan exited the diner and stomped to the front gate. Sabre_Mace ran after him, followed by the other three. They eventually caught up to him just as he was preparing to leave the town, "Where are you going, Nolan?" Sabre_Mace asked, feeling proud for getting this far.

Nolan turned around and decked Sabre_Mace right in the mouth, "You goddamn Eteru lovers! You're just as bad as they are! Probably stealing our swine as we speak!"

Sabre_Mace slowly got to his feet, wiping a small stream of blood from his nose. He was about to do the same thing to Nolan before he was able to control his anger, "I don't love the Eteru – I only love peace. Each and every flower is different and yet we don't hear about any wars about that. Learn to live and accept."

Nolan didn't respond. Instead he jumped over the gate and began marching to the east of the town, not looking back.

"Where's he going?" SunRose asked.

Sabre_Mace jumped over the gate after him and drew his sword.

"Why don't we find out?" He said.

* * *

><p>The group made sure to keep their distance from Nolan so that they could remain safe and out of reach of whatever he might pull. Soon he approached a massive pile of rocks settled at the foot of the Skyward Mountains. He turned around and drew his gun, "Want to know where the girl went? Better start digging out these rocks, Eteru lover!"<p>

At this point the quartet knew they had fallen into a trap. The mayor of Fontaine had his gun pointed at them unless they began removing the rocks from the pile. Whenever one of them began to slack off in the slightest he would cock the gun again, letting them know what would happen if they didn't follow his orders.

Finally a small hole could be made out in the pile of rocks. Light shone through the hole and into the damp insides of the cave. The group continued removing the rocks, urgent to figure out what's inside even though they already had a good idea.

Nearly half an hour later the pile of rocks had diminished to nothing and the full mouth of the cave was revealed. "Well, we dug. Now what do you want us to do?" Sabre_Mace asked, sheathing his sword.

"Go in, Eteru lover." Nolan said, forcing them inside the cave.

The group obliged and descended down the path. After several minutes of feeling Nolan's gun point on their neck, he put in its holster as they came across a clearing. A campfire that looked to be burning strong with blood stains covering the rocks everywhere.

And then there she was, watching with horror as the first humans she had seen for years came into sight.

"This is Priscilla, the disgusting user who thought she could keep her dirty little secret from me." Nolan shouted.

"You're calling her disgusting? You've kept this innocent woman hostage for several years!" SunRose shouted, horrified by the unhealthy state Priscilla was in. Her hair had gone gray and was falling off while her clothes were torn and ripped everywhere. She had an evil and psychotic look in her eyes as she stared at Nolan.

Priscilla pointed at Nolan, "You imprisoned the one you loved for no reason," she spoke, "you are the abomination."

"Shut up, Eteru lover!" Nolan shouted.

"Why did you bring us down here in the first place?" Sabre_Mace asked.

"It's simple," Nolan smirked and drew his gun, pointing the barrel at Sabre_Mace's head, "I want you to kill her."

Everyone gasped while Priscilla began bawling her eyes out.

"You are sick!" Serenade backed up against the wall.

"I'm sick? You all believe in those goddamn Eteru!" Nolan shouted, "Now kill this bitch!"

Frank, standing behind Nolan, quickly drew his own gun and pointed it at Nolan, "Call any woman a bitch and I will shoot you in the head without question."

Nolan turned around and shot Frank's hand, sending his gun to the ground. Now that Nolan had his back turned, Sabre_Mace drew his sword and swung downwards, decapitating the mayor's left arm. Nolan's ear splitting scream afterwards assured Sabre_Mace that he had just done the right thing.

"You bastard!" Nolan cried, rolling onto his side as blood continued to drain from his body, "You goddamn Eteru lover!"

Sabre_Mace sheathed his sword and kneeled beside the dying Nolan, "My name is Isaac. Get it right, Eteru hater."

Within a few minutes Nolan was lifeless. Sabre_Mace led the group, including Priscilla, to the outside where the sun was still beating down on the desert.

"It's…" Priscilla nearly began crying at the sight of the sky after years of being left in the dark, "magnificent."

Sabre_Mace smiled, "Where are you going now, Priscilla?"

"I must find him." Priscilla said and began walking into the desert.

"Find who?" Serenade asked.

"Caleb." She said, "Caleb, where are you?"

The remaining four looked at each other in shock of the unexpected events of that day. "Well, now what?" SunRose asked, looking up at a path on the Skyward Mountains, "We were supposed to have left hours ago."

Frank put his gun in his holster and put his hand on Serenade's shoulder, "She's right. We can't waste any more time on these silly shenanigans. The blade and compass can't wait any longer."

"Then let's not keep them waiting," Sabre_Mace said and hugged Frank, "we'll see you back in Imperial City."

Once everyone said their good-byes, they went their separate ways. Sabre_Mace and SunRose began up the winding path on the Skyward Mountains while Frank and Serenade prepared to endure the desert once more. The sun sat high in the sky as noon rolled around like it was nothing.

But nothing is really nothing.


	16. 2 1 The Former God Himself

**Sorry for the lack of overall updating on Tales of Anascentia. A new chapter will be added soon.  
><strong>  
><strong>In the meantime, enjoy the introduction of a new character.<strong>

**Also, I would like to request that when you review the story that you do your best to leave spoilers out of them. I've seen quite a few of them and I'm worried it could ruin the experience for people who might want to read but want to check the reviews first.**

**I don't own Minecraft.**

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><p>"MajesticQ, new reports have arrived from around Anascentia." One of the lead generals for the Redstone Rebellion army announced as MajesticQ approached his tent. Most of the army was stationed in the courtyard of the Redstone Rebellion base, with tents serving as primary housing for soldiers. Barracks were built into the insides of the walls for whenever battle or training was necessary, which was when MajesticQ would get involved.<p>

She approached the general's tent and was given a wrinkled note. She folded it out and noticed it actually wasn't a note – it was really a map. "What is this supposed to stand for?" She asked and spread it out across a wooden table inside the leather tent.

The general picked up a thin stick and pointed to a big red X located just below a set of mountains, "Sightings of an Enderwar have been reported from scouts in the south. We feel this could become a major problem if we were to allow Obsidian666 to travel to the House of the Holy Sun."

"Very well," MajesticQ nodded and proceeded to the exit of the tent, "you have my permission to vanquish it. Bring back the body, though; it's not every day that we come across another Enderwar. Only two have ever existed."

"But that is exactly what I'm getting at." The general said.

MajesticQ froze and turned back around, "What are you trying to say?"

"I've gone over some of the fine details regarding this Enderwars possible path with other generals and we've drawn the same conclusion," the general folded up the map and handed it to MajesticQ, "this Enderwar might be Herobrine."

* * *

><p>It didn't take long for Imperial City to get back on its feet following Exile's attack. The government had been mostly restored and the city's population were unaware anything really went down. Ever since the Pack of Wanderers departed from the metropolis, Moderator Bastil had positioned guards at the front to not only keep any trouble outside the gates but to keep an eye out for his daughter in case she were to return.<p>

"No sign of her still?" Bastil asked one evening.

The guards shook their heads and left their posts in the stone towers on both sides of the gate. A new group of guards had approached the towers to start their duty that night while Bastil began to walk back to his castle, dismayed at not seeing Serenade in a long while.

"Bastil sir! We've spotted two people travelling in this direction at a high speed!" One of the guards shouted to Bastil. He turned around and raced back to the gate, demanding that it be opened. The rusty bars slowly opened up as the two people spotted had slowed down.

Sand began to fly through the air from the machine that the duo had been riding. The machine came to a halt outside the gate as the two people stepped off and approached a rather disappointed Bastil inside the castle walls, "Oh, it's only you two."

"Who'd you expect?" Roth asked, walking ahead of Garfunkel into the city.

"I dunno, how about my daughter?" Bastil shouted, "Where is she?"

Garfunkel stepped between Bastil and Roth, "She went to go retrieve a necessary tool in stopping Obsidian666. She's safe with another person so you have no need to worry."

"Another person? You mean Sabre_Mace?" Bastil asked and led Roth and Garfunkel back to the castle steps.

"Not Master Mace, but someone just as responsible under…" Garfunkel trailed off, trying to determine if he was describing Frank properly, "certain circumstances."

Bastil nodded as two guards descended from the top of the stairs, "Bastil, shall we delay the banquet yet again?"

"Might as well." Bastil sighed and sat down on the front steps to the castle.

Roth sat beside him, "Banquet? Why were you having a banquet?"

"I was going to in case Serenade was to return but I have not seen her in quite a while. I've planned this special dinner for her return but she apparently won't be coming back as soon as I thought." Bastil looked up at the front gates. He noticed a tall figure approaching the trio on the steps.

The guards stationed at the front gates began running after the figure, "Stop! You were not given permission to enter!"

All the citizens nearby began to look at the man in confusion as he continued to walk, ignoring the pursuing guards behind him. Just as they were about to grab onto him with their hands, he turned around, grabbed the left guard with his right hand and the right guard with his left hand, and bashed the two together, sending them to the ground with moaning pain.

Roth jumped in front of Bastil, his sword drawn, "Who do you think you are, walking in here and disturbing the peace?"

The man turned to Roth and laughed, "I was not disturbing the peace. It was these silly guards that drew the attention of the humble people of Imperial City."

"He's technically correct, Master Roth." Garfunkel chimed in.

Roth walked down the steps and began approaching the man, who remained still with a sheathed sword on his side, brown hair combed to the side and a brown robe covering his body, "What brings you here? Do you wish to speak with Moderator Bastil? Or are you here to cause trouble like Exile did?"

"Exile was too foolish to be subtle about his actions," the man said and drew his sword which was a long steel sword with blue lines running up the side, "I would never make the same mistake he made."

"Ha! So you _are _here to cause trouble!" Roth said and pointed the tip of his sword at the man, "What makes you think you were any less foolish than him?"

"For one thing I'm more powerful. For another thing, I would be subtle if I were actually up to something," the man ran at Roth and disarmed the Imperial knight in only seconds, sending his sword flying to the top of the castle steps, "you are almost as foolish as him. You did not heed my word of which I spoke upon arrival. I'm not foolish for I am not here on any sort of business but to wish our moderator a good day. Now is that a crime in your eyes?"

Roth ran up the stairs and grabbed his sword, "You made the first move on me! That means that you wish to defeat me!"

"That is not what it means at all. You were attempting to protect your leader from me when I was causing no harm. I merely made it easier so that no fight would break out in front of these people here." The man sheathed his sword and approached Bastil with a warm, welcoming smile on his face.

Bastil stood up and shook the man's hand, "It's nice to meet you. Might I get a name from you, kind sir? I haven't seen you around these parts before."  
>The man bowed, "I've been here before but only when your father was reigning as moderator. Solomon was a very kind man indeed."<p>

"I didn't expect you to know my father. The only real people who were involved with him with the royal family and those who work in the archives,"  
>Bastil wondered if he had seen the man in his childhood, "wait a second…"<p>

The man smirked a bit.

"I do remember you."

"From where?" Roth asked, stepping back down the steps to the stranger who had drawn the attention of plenty of townsfolk.

"My father's funeral," Bastil was beginning to have a revelation, "it was a rainy morning. We were about to begin the service and I was about to be brought in to replace him when you showed up. You told me about Serenade – you warned me of my future."

Roth stared at the man strangely, "You can predict the future?"

Bastil sighed, "I remember you, Herobrine."

Garfunkel, Roth, and the nearby guards froze in awe as they witnessed a living legend right before their very eyes. The man laughed and gave Bastil a hug, "It's nice to see you again, your honor."

"Where have you been?" Roth asked, his joints shaking a bit from excitement, "You disappeared all that time ago and left us to fend for ourselves!"

"My time in this area was done for the time being. Just because I defeated Chaos doesn't make me the god or hero that the users of Anascentia expect me to be. It's rather foolish like someone I just recently met," Herobrine said and looked over at Roth, "what did you think you were doing? You tried to charge me with a simple, weak blade like that."

"What else was I supposed to do? I wasn't about to risk my leader's life. If you really were here to kill him I would have to put my life on the line to protect him!" Roth said and pulled out his sword again, looking at it and noticing that it was rather dull and weak.

Herobrine took his large and eccentric blade from its sheath and tossed it to Roth, "I respect your valor but don't let it blind you. Just because you were sworn to protect Bastil doesn't mean you can blindly run into battle. If I was here to kill him both of you would be dead and that would be worse."

Roth looked up and down the magnificent blade that Herobrine let him see. The blue lines running up the razor sharp and delicate edges – it was something he had never seen before. "Did you craft this yourself?"

"I did, but it was a mere place holder for when I was a mercenary. As I began to have to deal with Chaos and what-not, I was eventually able to make it into what it is now. Enchantments and enhancements have eaten that blade right up," Herobrine took his sword back and sheathed it, "I would have cut right through your blade if our fight had presumed. I'm not trying to gloat or anything – I'm just warning you of the consequences that you may have to take on in the future if you continue to make mistakes like that back there."

Roth felt embarrassed, standing in the presence of a hero but being ridiculed for putting his life on the line. He looked to Bastil, who was talking to Garfunkel next to him.

"Herobrine, Garfunkel and I just had a wonderful idea – since my daughter isn't here at the moment and I had planned a feast for her, would you do me the honor of being a guest to dinner tonight?" Bastil asked, holding out his hand for an agreement to be made.

The legendary hero stood there. A smile spread across his face as he shook the moderator's hand, "Absolutely. The food that they had south of the Skyward Mountains was awful and probably inedible. Maybe I can finally fill this stomach of mine for the first time in years."

"Fantastic!" Bastil turned to Roth, "Go rally up the guards and make sure the banquet is prepared! We are going to dine like kings tonight!"

"But you are a king." Roth said.

"Do as I said, Roth!" Bastil pointed to the castle entrance. Roth rolled his eyes and ran inside to find the other Imperial Guards.

* * *

><p>The dining hall was located towards the back of the castle, sort of underneath the throne room. It wasn't too big but looked grand none the less. Red velvet covered all walls while a red and yellow rug sat underneath the wooden table. Windows, curtains, and paintings covered the walls while the four attendants to that evenings feast continued with their meal consisting of primarily meat.<p>

"You know, people always say that you shouldn't eat meat," Herobrine began as he finished off another stack of sliced pig, "but they don't know what they're missing. Builds muscles and really fills you up. Ain't that right, Roth?"

Roth's plate had been barren for the majority of dinner as he wasn't too hungry from travelling, "Nah, I let people do what they want. No affect on me."

Herobrine nodded while eying Roth's darkened clothing, "What the hell happened to your clothing, by the way? I don't know why I never really paid attention until now but you look awful, no offense."

"We were in a bit of a predicament in Babylon," Garfunkel said, refilling his cup with water, "Redstone Rebels had infiltrated the city and were causing problems. We took it upon ourselves to help our, right?"

Roth nodded slowly, not wanting to get into talking about Eden and what might have happened to her after he left, "So you said you were south of the Skyward Mountains? What were you doing there?"

"Problems are abundant down in the far south," Herobrine said and pulled out an envelope from his robe's pocket, "I received this letter long ago from a woman whose son had been mind controlled. After doing some investigating, I had to stop the man who was causing it and ultimately uncover the corrupted government of the town in which this all took place. But that was several years ago – I just got back."

"What took you so long to come from the south?" Roth asked and looked to Garfunkel, "It's not going to take Sabre_Mace and SunRose that long to get The Diamond Compass, right?"

Garfunkel shrugged.

"I had become rather notorious after dealing with Chaos. It was my duty to make sure all was right whenever I could – travelling the countryside involved this. If Agro was still with me then I would have been back sooner but sadly he didn't make it out of that city." Herobrine somberly remarked.

"Agro?" Roth had never heard the name before.

"Agro the Sovereign. He was my absolute best friend for life. He helped me through everything. Almost as powerful as me. He ran the Northern Sands before passing away," Herobrine said and looked to Bastil, "did you ever meet Agro before, Bastil?"

Bastil shook his head, "We always exchanged letters but we never met in person. Never got too worked up over it but I guess I'll never know what he really was like. Seemed remarkable from his writing, though."

The room fell silent.

"Master Herobrine, have you ever heard of The Diamond Compass?" Garfunkel asked.

"I was actually about to ask you about that. Why are you guys going after it? More importantly, what makes you think you'll be able to reach it?" Herobrine asked.

"We aren't going after it but some friends are," Garfunkel pointed out, "I'd presume you know about Obsidian666, right?"

"Eligos? What about him?"

Garfunkel, Bastil, and Roth looked at each other in confusion.

"No, Obsidian666." Roth corrected.

Herobrine shook his head, "That name is a fake identity he took. Trust me; I have known him for quite a while now. A bit insane, to be honest."

"You know Obsidian666 personally? Do you know what the hell he's trying to pull then? I don't exactly understand what he's trying to do to Sabre_Mace or whatever." Roth asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine. I spoke with him way back on my travels. Very disturbed. I was worried for him," Herobrine stood up and began to grab everyone's plate, "he tried to bring me into whatever scheme he was hatching at the time. At one point I was about to but was forced out of it by other business."

Just as Herobrine was about to exit the room into the kitchen, Roth stood up and stopped him, "You nearly assisted the greatest threat this world has ever known? Do you know how awful that sounds in front of your leader?"

Herobrine continued into the kitchen and returned moments later with a blank look on his face. He approached Roth and then took a seat, "Eligos doesn't even compare to the power that Chaos had and yet I was involved with him. Am I still the villain despite vanquishing Chaos and overall making sure very few people would get hurt?"

"What you had to do with Chaos doesn't matter!" Roth shouted.

"Roth, calm down immediately!" Bastil shouted, "You don't know Herobrine like I do! I trust him because he's changed from the person he used to be so you have no right to be making such accusations at this point!"

"I changed?" Herobrine looked to Bastil.

The moderator nodded slowly.

"Don't you dare pull the whole 'reborn into a newer and better person' bullshit on me," Herobrine said calmly but sternly, "I was born and killed but when I was born again I wasn't a new person – I was the same but regretting killing myself. I'm the same person as I was back when I was goddamn mercenary and you can't say anything to change that."

"I was merely applauding you for moving on from your mercenary ways and becoming who you are now. It's not every day that someone becomes a god like you." Bastil explained.

"I'm no god!" Herobrine shouted, "You can say that I'm a god all you want but it won't change the fact that I'm just like every last one of you. I was a goddamn monster and best friend to the vilest man to ever walk the face of this world and you hail me like your savior? What if I really was here to kill all of you?"

"But you're not like that! We know you would never do such a thing!" Bastil said.

"I would have back when I was a mercenary."

"But you…" Bastil trailed off, "changed."

Herobrine shook his head and walked to the door leading to the castle foyer, "Who says I have?" He exited, leaving the other three to sit in silence for a few moments.

After remaining still for nearly ten minutes, Roth stood up and followed Herobrine to the foyer. The legendary hero was sitting on the front steps of the castle as the night began to cover the world of Anascentia.

"What's wrong with you?" Roth asked, taking a seat beside him.

"Nothing is wrong with me," Herobrine said, calming down, "sometimes Bastil can be a complete dumbass."

Roth nodded and looked out into the town as lights began flashing on everywhere, "What was Chaos like? I've heard stories but from the way you describe him he sounds worse than Obsidian666."

"Chaos was a monster, plain and simple. We were both Enderwars and capable of many cruel and disastrous things."

"An Enderwar? I've heard of Endermen and Endersend but now Enderwar. You're one of them?"

Herobrine removed his sword from his sheath and began running his right index finger along the blue lines on its blade, "An Enderwar is what happens when an Endersend and a normal User become one. Chaos was interested in the Endersend and their power and that ultimately led to his insanity and ultimate downfall. Sadly, I'm stuck as one for eternity."

"What happened to Chaos?" Roth asked.

"He died. I could have sworn that was obvious."

"No, I mean his remains. Did you get rid of them?"

Herobrine tapped the blue lines, "He disappeared. When I fought him for the last time he was a living and breathing magnet of energy that existed inside the ground. With every bit he absorbed the more powerful he became. After he was killed all that energy was about to go to waste so I decided to put it to use."

"Chaos is inside your sword?"

"You could say. His spirit is gone but all the energy that consumed his remains in my blade," Herobrine stood up and sheathed his sword, "I've been waiting for someone who would be able to defeat me in a duel. Anyone who could defeat me would prove to be capable of handling such a dear and powerful sword – until that day I cannot move on to the Aether. My sole reason for existence to make sure that Chaos is not reborn."

Roth followed Herobrine into the castle, "Sabre_Mace sounds like such a person."

"I was thinking more along the lines of you, Roth."

"Me? You criticized me for running mindlessly into battle earlier today!"

"I did indeed. Battle isn't all tactics, though," Herobrine began ascending the steps to the upper level where the bedrooms where, "there is more to battle than what it consists of. There will always be an extra layer."

Roth stood down in the foyer, watching as a fabled figure entered into a bedroom at the end of the hall. He took out his sword and looked up and down its blade, noticing how it was really out of shape and worn. He gripped the leather handle and stabbed it into the wall, utterly shattering the metal weapon into pieces, "There's always another layer."


	17. 2 2 A Tale of Two Demons

**After a longer than usual break in between chapters, I am finally back with what should be the last of what you could consider "filler". The next four chapters are pretty damn important. As for Tales of Anascentia... I know it's a bit disappointing right now with the lack of content but remember that it is only the beginning. Also, I have a life outside of writing which is my main priority so don't expect anything spectacular to be showing up in TOA anytime soon.**

**Like all other chapters, be sure to review if you enjoyed what you read. To be honest, I actually preferred writing this chapter to any of the previous ones following the Babylon story arc but that's just my take.**

**And again, I do not own Minecraft.**

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><p>It was late morning when Frank and Serenade agreed that the conditions of the Sand Sea were worse than hell. They trudged onwards from Fontaine, moving at a slow pace while the sun beat down on their neck and reminded them that if they decided to stop that they would be dead from exhaustion. Not the ideal motivation but good enough.<p>

"Alright, we should be heading in the right direction," Frank began thinking aloud, "Garfunkel said that the Redstone Rebellion base is in the far east of Anascentia and that heading east from Fontaine would take us there. We just have to keep our distance and move past it and we'll find the sword."

Serenade suddenly tripped over and fell to her knees, sand flying up around her, "Damn it! Why does Anascentia have to be a desert of all places?"

"That's just the way it was made, I guess. No one really takes care of it so I'm guessing it's something with that as well," Frank helped Serenade up and the two began walking again, picking their feet up high as to not trip again.

After several more minutes of walking in silence, the group couldn't take it any longer and sat down again. They looked around and noticed that they were at the point of no return – the land around them was flat and there were no mountains to guide them. They would have to keep moving to not get lost.

"We're going to lose the path, I just know it." Serenade whined.

"We're not going to get lost. Trust me. We both know what we're doing so there's no need for that sour attitude," Frank said and stood back up, "if there were only some sort of a civilization around here that could help us out and give us supplies or something. Fontaine wasn't really the ideal place to be in at this time."

Frank began moving ahead as Serenade got to her feet, "Don't leave me here! We've got to stick together if we want to get Sabre_Mace the blade!"

"I'm not leaving you; I'm just moving ahead a bit more. Is that really a problem to you?" Frank said and continued walking before coming to an abrupt stop. He got onto his knees and began looking at the sand.

"Frank? What're you doing?" Serenade asked and ran over to him. What Frank was looking at was a trail of footprints – left by an animal. They seemed like horse footprints but were abnormally spaced from each other.

"We're not alone out here, Serenade!" Frank jumped up and began following the trail down south.

"Frank, wait! We can't get sidetracked! Frank!" She shouted and ran after him.

* * *

><p>With their destination suddenly changed, Frank and Serenade followed the trail of tracks far south before finally coming across something other than sand – an actual structure. They came to a complete halt when they stood in front of what appeared to be a crumbling structure made of white stone with pillars falling apart everywhere.<p>

"What is this place?" Serenade pondered as she approached a ledge. She climbed on and noticed the destroyed building's chalk-like surface.

Frank climbed on after her and began wandering on the top of the single-story building and taking in the bizarre images etched into the pillars, "Not too sure. It looks like it could be a church but why it was in the middle of the desert is beyond me."

"Interesting, because I've never heard of a church for Endermen," Serenade randomly said.

"What do you mean?" Frank asked.

She grabbed his arm and pulled him over to a row of pillars in the far back of the structure and pointed to a line of Endermen holding hands etched into its side. They were more detailed than the ones found in the Northern Sands.

"A church for Endermen," Frank wiped his finger tips over the drawings, "quite the possibility, really. Who knows? They might exist already and we just don't know it."

The sound of soft footsteps caught the attention of Serenade and Frank from behind. They turned around instantly and saw more of the same footprints from earlier on the surface of the structure.

"We are not alone," Frank said and pulled out his gun, "it might be a good idea to get back on the trail."

"I blame you if we end up getting lost." Serenade said.

The duo walked back to the front of the church and jumped off the edge and into the desert. By how high the sun had gotten since they took their detour they had easily wasted somewhere between half an hour to an hour.

"Look, we just head this direction and we'll be at the blade in no time." Frank pointed his gun to the east of the church and began walking before noticing more of the footprints. He stopped immediately and began pointing the gun all around him, sweat dripping down his face.

Serenade stepped closer to him, "Is it a horse? A wolf?"

"It's got to be a horse," Frank looked back at the church and caught a glimpse of a tail, "there! I saw it!" He began sprinting back to the church and jumped onto its ledge. He pushed his back up against one of the pillars and cocked his gun, ready to fire at his random guest.

"I've done nothing to deserve this, my friend." The guest said.

"Get off your horse and come talk to me then."

There was silence.

"Well? Are you going to oblige?"

"There's just a slight problem, my friend."

"What?" Frank slid around the pillar and looked at a big, black horse with red eyes and a bright orange mane running all the way down its back, "Hey, where are you? I don't see you anywhere."

The horse turned its head to Frank, "I'm right here."

Frank froze in place as Serenade run up to him, "Did the horse talk?" She asked and stared at it confusingly.

"I did indeed. I was waiting for you to approach me yourself so that I wouldn't startle you," the horse said and bowed its head to Frank, "you can call me Orobas."

Serenade pat the horse and began to stroke her fingers through his smooth hair, "I've never heard of a talking horse. Is the heat just getting to us?"

"Yeah, I don't know if I should believe this." Frank said and pointed his gun at Orobas.

"Wait! Please, hear me out! I have a request!" Orobas pleaded and stepped back a bit, "I'm not just any horse! I'm what you call an Endersend!"

"An Endersend?" Serenade grabbed Frank's gun, "You're an Endersend?"

Orobas nodded, "Yes, an Endersend. But I'm not the only one in this desert, no – my brother Ose lives in this desert as well but the heat of the sun has corrupted him into a being worse than what he once was!"

"Excuse me?" Frank holstered his gun, "That made no sense."

"Ose is my brother – I am the brother of Ose the Endersend. It has been for years – no, decades! - that Ose has been a devil of sorts. He has warped the minds of travelers everywhere and it has gotten to the point where he wishes to do the same to me!" Orobas looked up at the sun that was high in the sky, "No man comes through the Sand Sea like you two have. It is remarkable but incredibly foolish but I still applaud you nonetheless. If you have time to spare, could you please do me the humanly favor of bringing the evil ways of my brother to an end?"

"Why do we need to do this? Can't you do this yourself?" Frank pointed out and began to depart. Serenade began following behind.

"You must understand that killing your own brethren is something of a sin and painful thing to do! Love thy brother like oneself or so it goes!" Orobas galloped ahead of Frank and stopped him, "I don't know how I could ever repay you for such a feat but I know I could and will eventually make it up to you!"

Frank shook his head and moved past the horse, "No thanks. We have places to be and swords to steal."

"Places to be, you say? Perhaps I could be some help in reaching said destinations." Orobas began hopping alongside Frank and Serenade as they began to walk off.

"We can get there fine by ourselves." Frank said.

"I dunno, Frank. We could always use the extra help. Walking through the desert at this time could prove hazardous to us." Serenade explained.

"Yes! Hazardous! That's exactly it!" Orobas nodded, "Where is it that you two are going anyway?"

"The Obsidian Flats in the east. We need a sword that is located there but wasting our time with your little family issues won't help." Frank said and walked ahead of Serenade and Orobas.

Serenade grabbed Frank by the shoulder and pulled him back, "Come on, Frank! We won't waste any time if Orobas gives us a ride! You're the only one here with a weapon so if anyone was to do it, it would be you."

Frank tripped and fell onto his back, sand flying all over his face. He pulled out his gun and pointed it at Serenade, "If we fall into trouble, I'll blame you. Deal?"

"Deal." Serenade pulled Frank onto his feet.

"Splendid! Hop onto my back and we'll be off!" Orobas sat down and allowed for Frank and Serenade to climb aboard. Once they were nestled onto his back, the Endersend horse sprinted off into a random direction at blinding speeds. The sand underneath his feet flew away like waves of water underneath a boat. It wouldn't be long before they would be at the Obsidian Flats.

* * *

><p>As time seemed nonexistent for those few minutes of travel, Frank could barely hold onto his gun properly. Sweat built up around his fingers while he gripped the handle tighter with each second. Serenade wasn't any better, holding onto Frank's waist like her life was on the line and her only protection was the strange former rebel.<p>

Finally, following the dash through the desert, Orobas came to a stop. The abrupt halt sent both Frank and Serenade flying over the horse's head and into the sand. As they sat up and became aware of their surroundings, they heard the Endersend neigh loudly as if he was trying to get their attention.

"Lucky for you the Obsidian Flats are not far from here," Orobas pointed out and began trotting forward, "but that is not our concern at the moment. My brother the deceiver must be put to rest as soon as possible. Thank goodness I found you back there."

"Don't thank us yet. We honestly don't know what we're up against yet." Serenade said, looking around cautiously.

Frank stopped in his tracks and pointed his gun forward, "Yeah, is this brother of yours a horse too?"

"I'm afraid not. Like I said prior to our departure, he has manipulated many in these past decades. He may take on the image of a dangerous leopard, a man… or anything that his victims desire if they are weak enough," Orobas looked around the desert, "our sanctuary should be near here. He never leaves there so we should be able to find him soon."

"We aren't weak enough to face him, are we?" Frank asked.

Orobas didn't answer.

"Are we?" Serenade echoed.

"I hope not." Orobas said and continued ahead.

Serenade and Frank looked at each other worriedly.

* * *

><p>Not too far away was a steep incline in the desert. It was a pit with steep hills surrounding it on all sides. At the bottom of the incline was a massive cobblestone platform with crumbling structures covering it. The trio went carefully down the incline and stepped onto the platform with caution.<p>

"This the sanctuary you were talking about?" Frank asked, walking towards its center.

"It is indeed," Orobas said, following Frank slowly, "be on your guard. He is around here somewhere and you never know when he'll strike. He is a ferocious being indeed."

Frank cocked his gun and stopped, waiting for Serenade to get close to him for protection, "Any sort of useful tactics that we could utilize? Anything could be useful, you know."

"Just be careful is all. I'll be acting as back-up in case everything becomes too hostile," Orobas backed up to the edge of the platform, "good luck, you brave souls."

Serenade and Frank nodded, stepping closer to the center of the cobblestone. It was then that they heard a loud thump from behind them. When they turned around, they saw Orobas on his side, panting heavily, with a black panther sitting beside him, licking his paws calmly. The panther looked over to Frank and Serenade and began cackling manically.

"It is a shame that you followed my brother here. No man, woman, or child should have to suffer from the idiocy that his mind and imagination contains."

Orobas slowly got back to his feet and stared angrily at the panther, "Ose, you are the shameful one! You have caused agony to many travelers for years and now it is time that your reign of terror is brought to an end!"

"I see. And you feel superior to me even when you need to bring along complete strangers to kill me? If it is true that you find me terrifying enough to cause this 'reign of terror' then am I still the inferior?" Ose shook his head and pointed his right paw at Orobas, "No, it is you who is the foolish one. While you may feel superior in some ways – remember that we are equal in all the other ways."

"You are speaking nonsense!" Orobas shouted and backed up, "Frank! Shoot him now and put an end to this madness!"

Serenade looked over to Frank, who was sitting against a pillar with his gun dangling from his hand, "Frank, finish him before he gets to us! Remember that we still have to get the Obsidian Magma Blade!"

"Oh, what's the point anyway? We were better off in Babylon where we could at least get a decent drink. You still never accepted my invitation to have a good name. Some jackass you are." Frank sighed and dropped his gun.

"What are you talking about?" Serenade shouted and grabbed his gun, "Don't tell me you're going to start acting up again! It makes me really mad when you do that!"

Ose began approaching Serenade, "Don't worry about him, dear. He is merely suffering from having the minds of two people – something that I don't find too often. So I guess it would be easier to work on you first since you seem simple minded and stupid."

"I'm not stupid!" Serenade cried and pointed the gun at Ose's head. She pulled the trigger multiple times but nothing came out. She began backing up quickly, shaking as Ose's form began to shift from a panther to a regular user.

Ose held out his hand to Serenade, "Don't fight it."

Serenade pulled the trigger again but still Ose remained standing, "Why won't you just die already?"

"Are you listening to yourself right now, dear?" Ose laughed as he took on the full appearance of a user with no hair and a tight black outfit, "You find me to be the manipulative one when you just accepted a random talking horse's invitation to kill his so-called 'terrifying' brother. Now, please enlighten me on why I must be the one to die."

Frank stood up and grabbed Ose's arm, "Lay off, man. She's mine. Go find some other chick."

"What are you talking about now? Are you wasted or something?" Ose pushed him against the pillar, "You should stay back until you're feeling better. Otherwise someone might get hurt."

As his back collided with the pillar, Frank recoiled and drove his knee into Ose's stomach, sending the shape-shifter backwards. Before he could get into a proper fighting stance, Frank began launching multiple kicks to his face, eventually knocking him over, "Right. Someone might get hurt."

Ose got right back up and sent his fist sailing through the air at Frank but missed. He made his back vulnerable to Frank, who grabbed his neck and drove him into a nearby crumbling wall. Dust and rocks fell off the top of the wall and began pummeling the Endersend in the head.

"Look, I just wanna go home so if we could go ahead and settle things then that would be dandy." Frank backed up and grabbed his gun from Serenade.

"Right! Put him out of his misery!" Orobas shouted from the outer rim of the platform.

Suddenly the human form of Ose had disappeared and returned into the black panther form, "Misery? You're only fueling my frustration with you two!" He growled and launched at Frank, knocking him onto his back and landing on his stomach. He began clawing at his face, leaving multiple marks and cuts everywhere.

"Frank, give me your gun!" Serenade shouted.

"It's mine. You can't have it!" Frank said and pushed Ose off.

"Frank, he's mostly going after you! I can shoot him, trust me!" Serenade shouted, trying to force the gun out of her ally's grip to no avail.

"Get off me, woman! I can handle things! Just go sit on that pony over there until things are done here. This man is gonna regret ever crossing paths with us." Frank pushed Serenade away and began aiming at Ose carefully.

"We crossed paths with him!" Serenade corrected and stepped over to Orobas, "It's no use! Frank has the only weapon and he won't take anything seriously anymore for some reason. What gives?"

Orobas kept his eyes on Frank, "It seems like he's a completely different person. A vulnerable person at that. Beware that he might not make it out of this confrontation now."

"What?" Serenade gasped and began trembling.

Ose began to grin at Frank, "Rather interesting fight we have here, ain't it?"

Frank began to have a remorseful look on his face, "Sabre_Mace, it doesn't have to be like this. I was dealing with someone when you appeared! Why do you want to fight me so badly now?"

"And looks like Ose got to him. This is not good at all," Orobas went to the foot of the nearby hill, "either break Ose's control on him or kill Ose yourself. Either way, it all rests on you."

"What' you're just gonna leave me to do this? You are starting to seem no better than Ose!" Serenade yelled before turning back to Frank, who was sweating horribly. He looked like he could almost break out into a cry at any moment.

Frank began panting, "Sabre_Mace… I don't want to kill you!

"Really? Then let me do the honors!" Ose launched at Frank and scratched him in the side.

"Don't hurt me with your sword! Diamond really hurts, man!" Frank cried and dropped his gun.

Serenade dashed forward and grabbed it before Ose could spot her. She jumped behind another wall and began to cock it again, "One shot. Only got one shot."

"Serenade, tell Sabre_Mace to stop this!" Frank yelled and began frantically running around. He eventually tripped and fell onto his stomach while Ose leaped onto his back.

"Such a shame, too. You were a good man." Ose dug one of his claws deep into Frank's back. Blood began to drip down onto the ground.

Serenade slowly and silently stepped from behind the wall and pointed the gun at Ose, "Get off him!" The bullet finally flew out of the front and sailed through the air seamlessly, eventually docking in Ose's back. The panther fell over onto his side with a shriek.

"Sabre_Mace, are you done? Can we please go back to being friends?" Frank rolled onto his back and looked at Ose curiously, "Ose? Where'd Sabre_Mace go?"

Ose tried to get to his feet but struggled and kept toppling over, "Damn this. Orobas! Orobas, where the hell are you?"

Orobas appeared from atop the hill, "I'm here, brother. Are you finally going to die and make the world peaceful once again?"

"You are foolish, Orobas! If you actually think that I am the only evil worth wiping out then you are just as evil and corrupted!" Ose coughed up blood and began breathing heavily.

"Foolish, perhaps. But the powers that you possess are something of a menace to many! The victims that you have affected deserved better!" Orobas looked to Serenade, "Finish him off."

Serenade pointed the gun at Ose's head.

"Victims? What victims?" Ose smiled, "Oh, you mean those dumbass Redstone Rebels. Heh… guys didn't know what was coming. Well… maybe I'll see them in the Nether then." Ose went limp.

"Redstone Rebels, eh?" Frank grabbed his gun and began to think back to the rebellion, "Deserved it all, I guess."

"Don't you say such things! All life is equal no matter what they represent!" Orobas shouted angrily.

"But you just told us to kill your brother. Aren't you going back on your word now? Or is there more to you that you haven't bothered to tell us about?" Frank asked and pointed his gun at Orobas.

Orobas gulped, "Trust me, the rebels didn't mean any harm!"

"I was kidnapped by a bunch of no good rebels! They always mean harm, alright? Do you get what I'm saying?" Frank shouted.

Orobas nodded, "Y-yeah.

Frank shook his head, "No you don't."

In a few seconds the Endersend horse had fallen over completely.

"Frank, what have you done? He was our ride! And where did you get more bullets?" Serenade began complaining, looking over the two Endersend that they had just killed for technically no reason.

"Did you really think that I carried around a gun but no more bullets? I would have expected more from you, lass. But about the ride," Frank looked to the hill, "don't you worry about a thing. He got us far enough that we can walk with plenty of time to spare."

"How do you know that?" Serenade asked as the duo began trekking up the incline.

Frank sighed, "I don't."


	18. 2 3 Stars of Winter

**Shortest chapter yet? Yes.**

**Chances of being most important chapter yet? ****Absolutely.**

**Got this out much sooner than expected and didn't expect it to be so short. After putting some thought into it, I began to reorganize the order of the next few chapters and ended up changing the order of events completely. Expect big things indeed.**

**And a bit of an explanation: I have never even read The Golden Compass so neither the plot nor the title were inspired in the slightest by the book. People may point out the similarities in plot (unsure if there are even any) or the title (didn't even have The Golden Compass in mind) but please keep in mind that the idea for The Diamond Compass is of my own and not inspired by The Golden Compass.**

**I do not own Minecraft. Review if you enjoy this chapter. Hopefully the pace will be restored in the next couple of chapters.**

**Oh, and ACT 2 of The Imperial Challenge in Tales of Anascentia should be uploaded soon. Not that any of you actually care though.**

...

**Read the damn chapter already.**

* * *

><p>Where had all the light that accompanied Sabre_Mace and SunRose for the entire day gone? It seemed nearly instantly that the sun disappeared behind the snowy clouds up above as the terrain switched from sandy to rugged and wet. This was the atmosphere of Skyward Mountain, and it definitely wasn't a pleasant one.<p>

As soon as the male and female duo stepped onto the main path leading up a massive hill on the mountain they felt the damp ground sink around their shoes. It was incredibly humid and depressing – something that they would have to adapt to quickly if they didn't want to lose their sanity.

"Garfunkel said that the House of the Holy Sun is at the center of these mountains. That means that we'll only have to cross one and that makes it a lot easier for us." SunRose recalled back to the separation of the Pack of Wanderer's just outside of Babylon.

Sabre_Mace eyed his surroundings subtly, making sure that there was nothing capable of becoming a problem to them, "But keep in mind that finding the Diamond Compass is only part of the mission. Lazarus told us that the compass would eventually lead us to a Nether portal, which is something that Obsidian666 is apparently after. We should be able to make sense of whatever he's up to soon but right now let's focus on staying alive. The conditions on this mountain look rather dangerous so far."

"Didn't know that damp and wet was considered a danger."

"I'm talking about towards the peak," Sabre_Mace continued walking, beginning to pick up various flowers and plants along the way, "mountain peaks usually consist of catastrophic conditions. We're going to be the only ones up there probably so we'll want to go in cautiously."

SunRose nodded and began picking up flowers and plants as well. The two continued on up the trail for another hour before beginning to notice snowflakes drifting from the sky. Soon the wind was blowing the flakes around viciously, barely giving Sabre_Mace and SunRose enough time to find shelter in a nearby cave.

The cave wasn't too far up but was a good enough resting place for the time being. As they entered in they sat against the wall and began to catch their breath before planning out what they needed. After making a few torches out of what remained in their inventory, the two departed into the depths of the cave, hoping to find a stockpile of iron somewhere.

"I can handle this alone, SunRose. Why don't you go and find us some food?" Sabre_Mace ordered, continuing to break down the stone walls in front of him.

SunRose didn't even bother to argue, turning around and walking back to the entrance of the cave. Snow blew heavily into the opening, giving her goose bumps. Despite this, she stepped out and began to keep an eye out for any wild game while making sure she didn't stray too far from the cave.

After exploring the land surrounding the cave, SunRose gave up and began to head back to the lit entrance. Once she stepped onto the stone ground of the shelter, she was nearly choked by the massive outpouring of smoke from the back of the cave, "Sabre_Mace, what the hell have you done?"

Sabre_Mace slowly stepped out into the light, covered in ash, "Let's go outside for a bit. Maybe get some fresh air."

The two went back outside and sat against a large rock while waiting for the smoke to clear from inside the cave. They stared at the sky, barely seeing any stars from beyond the cloudy skies, "Kinda strange." SunRose said.

"What is?"

SunRose pointed to a bright, white star directly above them, "These stars aren't supposed to be out yet. They only come out during winter. Must be a sign of the world changing, I guess."

"Maybe."

"Then again, Obsidian666 hasn't done much to harm anyone yet." SunRose said, filling her hand with snow and then throwing it in front of her.

Sabre_Mace unbuckled his sheathed diamond sword from his side and set it down in the snow, "Who knows? Maybe he won't do anything to us in the end. Maybe he's innocent."

"Now that's just crazy talk."

"Is it?" Sabre_Mace stood up and began cleaning some of the ash off his face, "We've never seen the man. We haven't witnessed anything that he's particularly done. Is he really causing any trouble?"

"He sent Redstone Rebels to attack Babylon! He's been sending assassins to try and kill you!" SunRose reasoned with Sabre_Mace, "I mean… you do remember what happened to Wheat, right?"

Sabre_Mace looked back at the cave, where the torches that they had set up were becoming dimmer behind the smoke, "Like I could forget. Barely knew the dude and yet his death shook me badly."

The snow picked up around them.

"But you didn't go through it alone. We all felt horrible for what happened and are thankful that nobody else has lost their life innocently." SunRose smiled cheerfully.

It was then that Echo's figure popped back into Sabre_Mace's mind, freezing him in place with terror and sadness. No one else knew about Echo and his relationship besides Garfunkel. But was it time to change that?

"SunRose…" Sabre_Mace sat back down and began shivering, "There are some things I haven't told you that I feel you should know."

SunRose leaned her head on Sabre_Mace's shoulder, "I'm listening."

Sabre_Mace began looking for an easy way to tell SunRose about what happened in Babylon.

"Well? What did you want to tell me?"

"SunRose… I was best friends with a Redstone Rebel."

SunRose sat up, "What? You mean Frank?"

"No. Do you remember Echo?"

"You mean that strange man that talked to us in the bar that one time?" SunRose thought back to him, "Wait, he was a rebel?"

Sabre_Mace was getting teary eyed, "Not only that but also a Noble Horseman."

"Oh my… Where is he now?"

Sabre_Mace stood up, attaching his diamond sword back to his side, "I killed him. He was threatening Garfunkel so I had nothing else to do. Echo was a completely innocent man that made me realize my faults and mistakes at the cost of his own life. Wheat wasn't the only one to lose his life innocently in the scheme of things – Echo never deserved his death either."

SunRose remained still against the rock, watching as the strong gusts of wind blew Sabre_Mace's dirty suit apparel around, "I… didn't expect that. Why is it that you decided to wait until now to tell me?"

"Because now I feel better. My heart isn't being torn apart by guilt for killing a man who deserved a fulfilling life." Sabre_Mace looked back at the cave, which was completely dark now, "The fire could have been made properly if I wasn't feeling so god awful."

"You made the fire wrong because you were thinking about Echo?" SunRose asked.

Sabre_Mace on top of the rock and looked up at the white star that SunRose had pointed out earlier, which was twinkling now, "More specifically his past. Eden was his wife and they had a child."

"I knew it. Eden was just drawing Roth in. I knew no one could trust that skank." SunRose nodded.

"But the child… he was killed by Obsidian666. Echo was a Noble Horseman and was forced into the rebellion because of it. Eden followed him into it and that's why I feel awful – because such a digital world has such ludicrous destinies. Destinies that should not be fulfilled." Sabre_Mace's fingers began shaking viciously.

SunRose stood up, "Are you cold? You're shivering badly."

In only a few seconds Sabre_Mace's entire body was thrown into a panic attack. His body rolled off the rock and fell into the snow face first, leaving a large imprint in the white, blanketed earth. SunRose's heart began pounding rapidly as she rolled her friend onto his back, terrified as his face became emotionless and white.

"Sabre_Mace, what's wrong?" SunRose was about to have a panic attack herself. She grabbed his legs and spun him around to drag him back to the cave in hopes of heating him up. As they entered back into the smoking shelter, she realized that she would only cause him more harm by deteriorating his breathing space. She immediately turned around and brought him back outside, her body shivering from the immense cold around them.

Sabre_Mace looked slightly over at SunRose, "SunRose… I see the other side…"

"Sabre_Mace!" SunRose got down on her knees.

"These stars…" Sabre_Mace muttered, "They look so pretty. You're like a star, SunRose. You're like the sun… warm, welcoming, helpful, pretty… you are a star in the middle of winter…" He went completely still.

The wind in the mountains blew harshly before settling down. The moon soon became visible overhead, shining along with all the other stars of winter upon the fallen hero and his ally.

"Sabre_Mace…" SunRose was about to cry out of grief before hearing the panting of wild animals nearby. She looked up and saw a large pack of wolves slowly trekking up a nearby hill, looking incredibly healthy and happy. They approached SunRose and licked her with comfort before sitting around Sabre_Mace, giving off their body heat to the freezing body.

SunRose looked at the wolves surrounding Sabre_Mace's body, completely awestruck by the sincere kindness of the wild animals that she had never encountered before. With tears in her eyes, she lay down alongside them, hoping that soon she would be able to save the world with her friend again.

* * *

><p>"Isaac, can you hear me?"<p>

Sabre_Mace felt warm. It was like the freezing temperatures of Skyward Mountain had vanished and become complete sunshine instantly. Some sort of ray of light beamed down onto his eyelids, irritating the eyes underneath. He blinked slightly a few times for opening his eyes completely, letting out a quiet groan from feeling the light shine directly into his eye brightly.

"He's… He's awake!" A male voice shouted excitedly, "Marie, he's awake!"

Sabre_Mace stretched on what felt like the soft cushion surface of a doctor's bed. Memories of Skyward Mountain began to flash at his imagination like it was all a dream but he wasn't sure what to think of it. Before he could sit up and process his surroundings, he felt the warm embrace of a random, unknown pair of arms around his waist.

"We've been waiting so long!" A female voice cried into his shoulder. Sabre_Mace breathed in deeply and looked to his right shoulder, where a young woman with red hair hugged his waist passionately. He diverted his attention to in front of him where a tall man in a brown suit, short gray hair, and round glasses and another man dressed as a doctor stood. They smiled happily before the man in the brown suit stepped forward.

"Welcome home, Isaac."

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: The story does not end here and the story will not be the whole "IT WAS ALL A DREAM" deal. You'll have to read the next chapter in order to fully understand what happened.<strong>


	19. 2 4 Another Brick in the Fourth Wall

**Time for an explanation.**

**The reason why this chapter was uploaded so long after the previous one was because I have become rather busy. With a job, school, and more original writing on FictionPress, I haven't really kept this story in mind too much. It almost got to the point where I considered cancelling it completely and forgetting I had ever written it.**

**Then I looked at how many people are actually reading it.**

**It's then that I decided that while this would be my last story on the website, I would indeed finish it.**

**However, I'm afraid Tales of Anascentia is going to have its plug pulled.**

**Why? No, it's not because no one has been reading it. It's not because I don't enjoy writing it.**

**It's because I realized that having people make things for a world that I created isn't right.**

**To those who have contributed, you are absolute geniuses. You have such incredible imaginations and I feel honored to have you as contributors.**

**But the thing is that you should be using that imagination for yourself and not a world that somebody else created.**

**Not only will this help make you notable and more creative, but it will improve your writing.**

**I'm sorry to those who have waited weeks - _or months _- for their stories to be included. I have failed in that part.**

**But not it is time for you to shine. Make your own stories - make your own worlds - make your own characters...**

**Make your own name in writing.**

**To those of you who _really, really _want to write a story in Anascentia, be my guest. The rights to the world are still mine, but play with it all you want.**

**Keep in mind, though, that Fanfictions about somebody else's Fanfiction is a bit of a stretch in my opinion, but whatever you like.**

**For the first time in a long time, I do not own Minecraft. Review if you like what you see.**

* * *

><p>Something didn't feel right.<p>

This air didn't feel the same.

Nothing looked familiar.

And yet, Sabre_Mace felt like he had been in this one room before.

The man in the white lab coat approached Sabre_Mace with a clipboard and began writing down something while inspecting his body, "Looking good for being asleep for so long, Isaac. I bet you're incredibly hungry. Am I right?"

Sabre_Mace didn't know how to feel, "Where am I?"

Marie excitedly hugged Sabre_Mace again, "You're home."

"What the hell does that mean?" Sabre_Mace pushed her off and jumped off the bed. He ran instantly to a nearby rusty door and shoved it open, entering into a long, dark hallway. Without much thought, he began sprinting at incredible speeds away from the doctor's office. Eventually another door came into sight with a blinding light shining through its windows.

The doors flew open and Sabre_Mace stepped out into a world he hadn't seen before – an actual dead world. Tall skyscrapers were built everywhere but were decaying with bits and pieces of the structures falling to the ground far below.

"Isaac!" Marie shouted from down the hall.

Sabre_Mace turned around to the trio that had followed him, "What is this place? Where's SunRose and Anascentia? What is going on?" He cried and began to breath abnormally from the sudden change.

Marie grabbed him by the arm and pulled him towards her, "It's alright, it's alright. Now that you're out we can all live happily together again."

"Who are you?" Sabre_Mace pushed the woman away and turned towards the city. Without thinking, he mindlessly ran down the road while the high pitch of Marie's scream pushed him to go faster and faster. Finally, he reached an intersection and stopped.

A newspaper flew around with a strong gust of wind and covered the back of his head. He grabbed it and looked at the front page. The newspaper was titled "Rosaria Import", which was an incredibly odd title. The date was marked as September 23rd, 2015. The cover story was called "Yet Another Week Without Advancement".

Echo's voice began ringing in Sabre_Mace's head.

"Back in your world you're one of the last survivors of the Technological Apocalypse," Echo had mentioned in the bar back in Babylon.  
><em><br>Could this be?_Sabre_Mace thought and fell to his knees.

"Isaac!" Marie called out. She was running with the other two males towards him. When they approached him, Marie grabbed him and got him back on his feet. She began wiping the dust off his clothes, which were all orange for some reason.

The doctor clicked his pen and began writing down on the clipboard again, "Well, he's showing signs of confusion. Seems normal but if it goes on for too long it could lead to insanity. We need to keep a close eye on him."

"You're gonna be alright, Isaac. Don't worry." Marie said and hugged Sabre_Mace.

Sabre_Mace looked over her shoulder at the other man in the suit who just smiled and nodded. He then looked to the cloudy skies above that seemed perfect besides the signs of dead floating around constantly.

"This is the Technological Apocalypse?" Sabre_Mace said quietly.

Evening approached slowly, but when it did Sabre_Mace became a bit more comfortable around the trio that was with him when he woke up. They had travelled back to the same place that Sabre_Mace woke up in and were seated around a wooden dinner table, feasting on the food that they were able to find and serve for dinner.

Sabre_Mace looked at his plate and then at the others around the table as they devoured it, "Where are we? Who are you? What's going on?" He bluntly asked with a slight note of fright in his voice. He leaned over his plate and rocked back and forth slightly, feeling a rush of blood through his body. This experience was new and uncomfortable for him.

"Does he really not remember us?" Marie asked.

"How about you ask him yourself?" The doctor said.

Marie sighed and looked over at Sabre_Mace, who was obviously scared, "Isaac, do you know who I am?"

He shook his head.

"What did you do to him?" Marie cried at the doctor.

"Marie, get a hold of yourself!" The other man in the brown suit shouted loudly, "God, why is it that you have to blame everything on the doctor? Calm down and work through this. No wonder I divorced you."

The room fell silent and yet the man in the brown suit never bothered to apologize for the unnecessary comment.

The doctor stood up and took his plate to a counter against the wall behind him, "Isaac, you can call me Dr. Hower. You got that? I've been studying you for the past few weeks to see how you'd fare in Anascentia. You did exceptional but the bonds you were forming were worrying us so we tried to pull you out repeatedly. Finally worked, though."

Memories of those violent seizures came back. When he was in the hospital; when he was in Fontaine; and then on the Skyward Mountain with SunRose, "All those times it was really you guys trying to wake me up?"

"Of course! We care about you more than you know! Isn't that right, Robert?" Marie walked over to Sabre_Mace and began patting his shoulders softly.  
>The man in the brown suit, apparently named Robert, was leaning back in his chair with a pipe in his mouth now.<p>

"Of course. We stood by you while you remained in that world. Every minute of these past few weeks has been devoted to making sure that you stay alive and well." Robert said and stood up. Dr. Hower entered back into the room with a needle.

Sabre_Mace jumped at the sight of the syringe, "What're you gonna do to me?"

"I just need to inject you with this. Since you haven't actually been properly nourished for quite some time, I need to make sure vitamins will enter into your body and keep you healthy." Dr. Hower approached Sabre_Mace and repeatedly tried to stick the young boy with the needle but he kept squirming.

Marie grabbed Sabre_Mace, "It's okay, Isaac. Mommy is here."

Those words made Sabre_Mace go numb. He didn't even feel the needle go into his arm. He looked over at the redhead holding onto him and then at the man in the brown suit and had an epiphany.

They _were_his parents.

Or at least divorced parents.

"Marie," Sabre_Mace dropped his frightened attitude and became the more serious man he was in Anascentia, "Let go of me this instant."

She let go and backed up with hurt. She had obviously never been treated that way by her son. Tears began to well up in her eyes before Robert walked over to give her a shoulder to cry onto. He just smiled and nodded at Sabre_Mace before guiding his ex-wife into the other room.

Dr. Hower pulled up a chair beside Sabre_Mace and pushed his plate away. He had his clipboard again and looked to be concerned with something, "Alright, Isaac, it's time we get down to serious business. I'm afraid there might have been a bit of memory loss as a result of your trip into Anascentia."

Sabre_Mace nodded, "I'm confused."

"About what?"

"Everything," Sabre_Mace leaned back, "Why was I sent into Anascentia?"

"It's a bit complicated but I'll try to explain," Dr. Hower put down his clipboard on the table, "I don't know if you remember the beginning of the Technological Apocalypse but it basically occurred because technology had advanced too far for us to handle and a super virus was created as a result."

"Super virus?"

"Yes, a super virus. It was created by a group of hackers and former scientists who were experimenting with various programs but ended creating the end of the world. As the virus continued to spread throughout the world's technological systems and corrupt every piece of software imaginable, the press titled it 'The Eligos Virus' and tried desperately to stop it from progressing, but," Dr. Hower chuckled and rolled up his sleeves, "Well, you can see how that went."

Sabre_Mace leaned forward and finally took a bite of the steak that they had made, "But that doesn't explain why you-"

Dr. Hower stopped him from continuing, "We sent you in because you were young and versatile enough to restore the world."

The two remained silent and stared at each other.

"What? Restore?"

"Restore, yes," Dr. Hower stood up and began flipping through the papers on his clipboard, "One of the programs utilized in the creation of the Eligos Virus was Minecraft. Marie said that you were quite skilled at the game so I thought it would be helpful but you ended up losing your memory on the way into the system. There were several keys created by those who attempted to stop the Eligos Virus but they were never fully implemented and ended up becoming lost."

"Really? Where are they now?" Sabre_Mace asked.

"I just said they were lost, nitwit," Dr. Hower chuckled, "But really we suspected them to be located in Anascentia since they were sent after the virus."

Finally, Dr. Hower reached a page towards the end and pulled it out. It looked like a map of Anascentia, with Babylon and Imperial City greatly detailed,  
>"What is this? Anascentia? Why do you have a map of it?"<p>

"So we could track you while you tried to find the keys."

Sabre_Mace's mind was being blown now, "I never knew that I needed to find the keys."

"Yeah, I know, but you do now. The truth is that they may have been corrupted by the virus and incapable of accomplishing their task. I believe there were four of them." Dr. Hower left the map of Anascentia in front of Sabre_Mace and stood up to start moving dishes to the counter.  
><em><br>Four._

Four keys.

Four anti-viruses.

"Four," Sabre_Mace echoed, "Four keys,

Dr. Hower turned around.

"Four horsemen."

"Excuse me?"

"Echo…" Sabre_Mace said, "Echo was right."

"Echo?"

Sabre_Mace stood up and put his back to the wall, "Echo… Exile… They were the anti-viruses? Is that why Obsidian666 utilized them?"

"Because he knew you would be there to defeat them and put an end to his plans," Dr. Hower said, "He wants to ultimately combine our world and Anascentia to bring everything to an ultimate end. If he ever does reach the Nether and meets with the Ender Dragon, well… he might just accomplish it."

"But we're not gonna allow him to, are we?" Sabre_Mace said.

"Right. Which means that, sadly, we're going to have to send you back in to finish things once and for all," Dr. Hower put his hand on Sabre_Mace's shoulder, "Are you gonna be alright?"

Sabre_Mace pushed Dr. Hower's hand away, "Don't worry about me. Worry about Marie. Barely know her but can already understand just how annoying she is."

Dr. Hower laughed, "Well, you _are_her child."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

They both laughed before leaving.

* * *

><p>Later that night, after Robert and Marie had gone to sleep, Sabre_Mace crept from the room that was prepared for him and snuck to the roof. He climbed a wooden ladder and opened the door above him. Behind the door was a starry sky, clear and visible unlike earlier in the day when debris flooded it. He walked over to the ledge of the tall building and sat, rocking to the side while watching shooting stars cross the sky.<p>

The door opened a few minutes later. It was Robert, still in his brown suit with a pipe. He walked over to Sabre_Mace and sat down beside him, "It's strange to think that I have a son."

"Strange?" Sabre_Mace asked with a monotone.

"Yeah. I mean, a son that has accomplished so much," Robert dropped his pipe to ground far below, "You're pretty young and yet have the capabilities to restore the world that has been deemed hopeless by all who are still here."

"Still here? Are we not the only survivors?"

Robert pointed to a bridge off in the distance that was built over the rushing waters of a long river, "Every week people will pass over that bridge, asking for someone who was victimized by the virus. Luckily you weren't. We still have you and might be able to make it through."

"The victimized… Are they dead?" Sabre_Mace asked.

"Thankfully, no. They were merely transported into the various technological programs. Your friend Ella was victimized, I believe. I'm very sorry for that, though." Robert explained.

The name sounded familiar to Sabre_Mace, "Ella?"

"Man, do you not remember Ella? You two seemed perfect for each other. You rode bikes and played every day together. Now it seems like you guys would be partners for life before, well, this happened. Quite tragic, really. I'm terribly sorry." Robert said and stood up.

Sabre_Mace looked around the ruins of the city, barely seeing figures move in the dark, "This Ella… Where did she live? Or where does she live? Or… whatever."

"Her house was somewhere on the other side of the city. A big house, too. Lucky if you ever inherited it, but…" Robert laughed loudly and walked back to the ladder, "Well, enough of that. Good night, Isaac."

Sabre_Mace nodded and looked at a road heading into the city where various survivors scavenged for food and continued to try to make their way through life in such a desolate situation. He then went to the ladder, climbed down, and left the building out the front. The air was cold; definitely September.

"September of Love," Sabre_Mace said and pressed on, "September of Love."

* * *

><p>It took an entire hour to cross the city, and that hour was incredibly agonizing to Sabre_Mace. He had to cross highways, crawl through pipes, and deal with angry and insane survivors just to get to where this Ella supposedly lived. Finally, he reached a neighborhood with large house directly across the city.<p>

"Probably would've been a good idea to ask him which house it is," Sabre_Mace groaned and stepped onto the road. He decided that he would start with the first house and move on from there.

With every house he kept screaming in his head, _Come on, SunRose!  
><em>  
>Finally, after going through nearly a dozen houses, he came across a slightly smaller house than the rest. The front door was broken down and several windows were shattered. From the outside it looked completely vacant.<p>

"Damn it," Sabre_Mace rolled his eyes and entered.

First he searched the lower level. After finding nothing, he moved to the upper floor where there was a hallway with five doors. Four of these doors were open with the wind from the outside constantly smashing them close.

The door that remained closed was directly to Sabre_Mace's right on the hall. He turned to it and tried to open it but it was locked from the other side. After a few more attempts, he went to the room next door and noticed that part of the roof was directly below the window. Without giving it much thought, he went ahead and climbed out, easing his way along the wall and into the locked room.

Inside there was a mattress with a girl about Sabre_Mace's age on it, unconscious. She had posters of various pop artists and TV shows on her wall and a desk against the wall with her laptop opened but obviously not working due to the virus.

"Ella?" Sabre_Mace called out.

The girl remained silent.

"SunRose?" Sabre_Mace said.

The girl remained silent.

Sabre_Mace got down on his knees and leaned close to the girl's face, "SunRose! SunRose! SunRose!"

* * *

><p>"SunRose!"<p>

SunRose's eyes shot open.

The snow was still falling rapidly. The smoke had left the cave. Yet the wolves remained around Sabre_Mace's idle body, helping SunRose to make sure he stays alive and makes it through whatever he's going through. She sat up and continued to hear the voice.

"SunRose! SunRose!"

"Sabre_Mace?" SunRose said and looked at Sabre_Mace's body.

* * *

><p>Without a response from the lifeless body, Sabre_Mace sat down completely and looked at the wall across from the mattress. A strong breeze blew through the window as he breathed heavily with a smile and a strange feeling in his heart.<p>

Hours passed and the morning slowly arrived. With every hour, Sabre_Mace would turn back to the body of the girl and call out SunRose's name again. At one point he thought he saw the girl smile a bit before becoming emotionless again.

"Isaac!" A female voice called from below, "Isaac, are you in there?"

Sabre_Mace looked out the window and saw Marie, Robert, and Dr. Hower outside. They were donned in their furry coats as the weather was becoming more drastic with every passing day.

"We've been looking all over for you, Isaac," Dr. Hower said, "Come on. It's time to send you back. We need to make sure the virus doesn't fulfill its complete and utter potential."

Sabre_Mace nodded and looked at Robert, who was smiling.

On the outside, Marie hugged Sabre_Mace as the quartet began to trek back through the city, which felt more asleep during the day than at night. As they continued to walk, Sabre_Mace looked at Robert and Marie out of the corner of his eyes and noticed that they seemed to be acting more affectionate towards each other.  
><em><br>September of Love_, he smiled, _September of Love._

* * *

><p>Back in the doctor's office, Sabre_Mace was laying still on the bed as Dr. Hower inspected his health to make sure he was fit to go back into Minecraft. Luckily, everything checked out and the machine, which was one of the few machines to not be affected by the virus, turned on.<p>

"We'll miss you, Isaac!" Marie cried.

"Isaac, don't let us down." Robert said.

Sabre_Mace began to feel a bit drowsy, barely hearing Robert's and Marie's cries.

Dr. Hower approached Sabre_Mace and placed sticky wires on his bare chest, "Good luck, Isaac. Remember that while you may think there is nobody waiting for you and that your life is a lie," he smiled and pulled a lever on the machine beside the bed, "Remember that you're wrong."

Everything went black.

* * *

><p>"Ugh."<p>

SunRose shot up.

The wolves backed up, startled by the sudden noise emitted from Sabre_Mace's mouth.

"S-Sabre_Mace?" SunRose was about to explode with joy.

Sabre_Mace's eyes opened and he slowly sat up, hugging SunRose, "Don't worry, SunRose. I never left."

"What?" SunRose was crying.

Sabre_Mace stood up and looked at the wolves around them, "Where did these animals come from? Jesus, no wonder it was so warm there."

"Sabre_Mace!" SunRose cried and hugged her friend.

The tears from her eyes began to soak the mess that was Sabre_Mace's blazer. He hugged back as the wolves began to depart back to the direction that they had come from.

Slowly, a dark figure appeared in the distance with a cane. He was tall with gray hair all around. He looked like he should have frozen to death by then, "Thank goodness! Never thought anyone would be willing to cross these mountains!"

SunRose and Sabre_Mace turned to the man as he approached them. The wolves gathered around him and sat down instantly. He stood in place and looked at Sabre_Mace.

"Is something the matter?" Sabre_Mace asked, "What's an elderly guy like you doing all the way up here?"

"My daughter has gone blind," the man said, "And I need to get her to New Victoria. Otherwise neither of us will survive on these damn mountains."

"And you want us to help you?" Sabre_Mace asked.

The man nodded.

Sabre_Mace stood up and smiled at SunRose, "Let's do it."

"What? We have to find the Diamond Compass!" SunRose shouted.

"We'll help anyone we can find," Sabre_Mace replied and walked over to the old man.

"I thought you were bitter and ignorant!" SunRose was confused.

Sabre_Mace turned around and smiled, "September of Love, SunRose. September of Love."

* * *

><p><strong>Hate Marie? Of course you do.<strong>

**See you whenever the next chapter is up.**


	20. 2 5 Brothers and Sisters

**I think I've finally gotten back into the groove of things with writing. This chapter felt a bit better than the most recent ones which, I'll admit, sucked.**

**Also, I'd just like to point out that I have uploaded a poll to my profile asking for your character in the story so far. Add your input if you're up to it and appreciate the various characters.**

**I do not own Minecraft. Review if you enjoy what you see.**

* * *

><p>The presence of Herobrine in Imperial City was an offsetting one, to say the least. Everyone soon became aware that the mighty hero had arrived. They wanted to prove their loyalty to him and Anascentia by baking the finest of pastries and making the greatest of presents. He never left the castle, though.<p>

And yet the citizens kept waiting.

"Just go out there and tell them you don't want any," Roth said, looking out one of the windows of the castle. He, Herobrine, and Garfunkel were all situated in the castle foyer, watching as the massive groups of people waited at the foot of the steps for Herobrine to accept their offerings. The group kept getting bigger and bigger, refusing to diminish even the slightest in size.

Herobrine shook his head and peeked out the window slightly, "Why won't they leave me alone? I don't want any of this. It's pointless. They treat me like a god for no reason."

"They have plenty of reason to, Master Brine. You killed Chaos and pretty much secured the safety of the rest of the world. Everyone is grateful to you for that," Garfunkel explained and pulled Roth away from the window, "Why don't we put our minds to better use then? Master Mace and Master Frank are out finding the rarest of treasures while we have got nothing going for us. Shouldn't we change that, Master Roth?"

Roth shrugged his shoulders, "What is there for us to do?"

"Research, my friend," Herobrine said and sat down on the steps that led to the upper level of the castle, "When I was young and not quite into the mercenary lifestyle that I would eventually take on, I researched my ass off. Every day and night I would find a book that told me something I didn't know and would read until I passed out. It's then that I would remember what I learned and repeat the process, so on and so forth. We can't accomplish anything without knowing anything first."

"Ah, that brings me back to my youth! I would constantly flip through the books in the local libraries and look into the detailed drawings on the covers. It always fascinated me that we could fit all the knowledge of the world into a collection of pages. Very extravagant indeed." Garfunkel agreed and sat down beside Herobrine.

"So, Roth, did you do any research in your youth like us?" Herobrine asked.

That single question sparked curiosity in Roth. Never before had he really thought what his youth was like. He always played off the cliché childhood that everybody else had. He never bothered to understand what it meant to have a childhood. He never really wanted to know either.

"Well?" Herobrine echoed.

"I, uh…" Roth trailed off and leaned against the wall, "I don't know."

The two older fellows looked at each other and then back at Roth, who was looking down with disappointment in himself, "Master Roth, what do you mean by that?"

"I mean exactly what I said. I don't know," Roth said and began pacing around in front of the steps, "I don't know what my childhood was like. I've never known and, personally, I'm fine with that. The earliest I can remember is leaving to go join the Imperial Army. Nothing else can come to mind."

Herobrine stood up and put his hand on Roth's shoulder, "Don't be like that! Everybody has a childhood, including you! Have you ever felt nostalgia before, boy? It's the grandest feeling of them all besides love. Once one feels nostalgia they wish they could go back. That is what I love the most."

While he understood what Herobrine was trying to say, Roth knew that he would never experience the real feeling of nostalgia. The only thing he could feel from it was what other people wanted him to feel. Thoughts like that always made him feel like that one depressed boy sitting in the corner all alone but what else was there to think? He couldn't remember when he was playing with a father or a mother out in the yard. He could only want to remember and eventually he lost that feeling too.

"Anyway, back to the matter at hand," Herobrine brought Roth back to reality, "It would be wisest to start in the archives but where to start is what we should decide first."

"A very good question indeed! Now, we can always start with the beginning of the Redstone Rebellion and Obsidian666 or we could look into The Diamond Compass itself. Both of these are great options."

Roth sat down on the steps while the other two discusses the options.

"Right, sounds like a plan!" Herobrine said and looked over to Roth, "Are you going to join us, Roth? It could help get your mind off things. Learning is the best cure for depression."

The Imperial soldier remained quiet.

Herobrine shrugged his shoulders and led Garfunkel to the archives.

Roth sat silently, wondering if he really did want to know what his childhood was like, _if _he had a childhood. Then he kept remembering Herobrine's ominous words: "Everybody has a childhood."

* * *

><p>The crowd of people in front of the castle did the seemingly impossible and left after standing outside for a few more hours. The streets felt empty with everybody inside, exhausted from their chanting Herobrine's name. Roth, still feeling depressed because of the conversation that he was involved with earlier, went outside and began pacing the streets early the next morning.<p>

He would always stop every once in a while and look up at the dimly lit sky. Stars were still out, shining down so bright and beautifully. They looked odd, though – they looked like the kind of stars you'd see in winter. They were different and Roth had no idea why. He just kept looking.

"Excuse me!" A voice cried out from the front gates.

Roth looked down and saw a tall, badly bruised man dragging a blanket with a body in it. The man looked to be in deep despair and kept banging on the front gates repeatedly, crying for Roth's attention. The Imperial guard couldn't take any more and approached the gate carefully, keeping his hand to his sword at all times.

"What is it?" Roth asked quietly.

"My son here was badly injured in battle and we need your help now! The Redstone Rebellion was storming across the desert and our battalion got caught in the midst of their charge. We just barely made it out but I'm not sure if he'll survive without any medical attention!" The man begged.

These moments were the ones that Roth loathed the most. The ones where he was put out in the spotlight and was forced to make the decisions. Everyone else was asleep except for him so he wasn't sure what he could and couldn't do. He just stared at the man, arms trembling from nervousness.

"Are you gonna help us or not?" The man cried again.

With no other real choice, Roth ran to the right side of the gate, entered into the building, and pulled the lever that controlled the front entrance. The sound of chains being pulled up erupted loudly as the metal bars that separated the city and the outside world were raised. Roth exited the building and looked at the man as he fell over, gasping for breath.

Roth ran over to the man and rolled him onto his back, "Sir, are you alright? Do you need attention?"

The man's eyes were closed. He made no attempt to open them, "Take him… Take Monty… Save him… He's all that is left of… My family…"

With those words, the man gasped and went limp. He stared up into Roth's eyes as the Imperial guard dropped him to the ground and looked over at the body that he was dragging along. The body was of a man with black dreadlocks. He was rather tall with marks, dirt, blood, and bruises all over his visible arms. He wore a leather collection of armor that was showing serious signs of wear.

"What now?" Roth asked himself. Could he really just take this man, whose name was apparently Monty, up to the clinic randomly? Well, what would he do about the dead body? No one really wanted to wake up and then see a dead body of an unforeseen man at their gates. It was pretty typical, honestly.

Roth then inspected the blanket that Monty was being dragged around in. It was velvet, for some reason, and covered with holes. Without any other ideas present, Roth grabbed the dead body and put him on top of Monty and tried dragging them both in the blanket. He could only get a few inches before pulling a muscle.

"Damn it!" He shouted and began stomping around in pain.

Just then he noticed Monty move slightly.

The stranger's eyes blinked a bit before opening fully and looking up at Roth, who stared back emotionlessly. Monty pushed the dead body aside and stood up slowly, moaning about his aching pain. When he finally got a decent balance, he looked up at Roth. He seemed deep in concentration and thought, often pointing his right index finger at him for no reason.

"You… I know you…" Monty uttered.

Roth stepped back, "You do?"

Monty began stepping forward but tripped on the blanket and was knocked out by the ground.

"Who are you?" Roth wondered aloud. He had never seen this Monty before but apparently Monty knew who he was. This was reason enough for Roth to go and get help. He ran into the castle and awoke the doctors in the clinic, who immediately retrieved the bodies and brought them in.

No one else knew what had happened in the morning.

"Who walked in here now?" Herobrine asked, returning from the bathroom. The group had eaten breakfast and discussed the events that occurred early in the morning, "The doctors in the clinic said you found some dying people and brought them in. Who are they?"

Roth had entered into the castle after having to speak to other guards regarding the arrival of these strangers, "No idea. The older dude walked in, begging for us to help them. I think the younger one is his son or something. His name is Monty."

"And what happened to them?" Garfunkel entered into the lobby from the archives. He had just spent the morning following breakfast doing more research into the mysteries of Anascentia.

"The older guy said that they were attacked by rebels while travelling and that the younger one was on the verge of death," Roth explained, "But they say that Monty is gonna be alright. The other dude is dead, though."

The trio nodded along as one of the doctors entered into the lobby from the back hall where the clinic was located. He had a stack of papers and handed them to Roth, "This is all the information we were able to receive from the man. He says his name is Monty and that they came from the Northern Sands."

"Thank you, sir." Roth said and began flipping through the papers.

"He also said that he wanted to speak with you."

Roth looked up, "With me? Why?" Then he remembered what Monty had said. Apparently Monty knew him from somewhere. This was a bit odd. Roth handed the stack of papers to Herobrine and went to the clinic with the doctor.

On the inside of the office, there was a desk and another doorway that led to the individual rooms where patients were situated. The doctor took his seat behind the desk while Roth headed through the doorway and into the back. After looking around to find the proper room, he came across the dreadlocked man, lying in his bed with a glass of water beside him. He seemed relaxed.

"You requested me?" Roth said and entered.

Monty focused his sight on Roth and sat up a bit. They had removed his leather armor and bandaged up most of his torso, "I've seen you somewhere. I can't remember exactly where but you remind me of someone. Don't tell me your name."

"Why? Wouldn't it be wise to-"

"You're name is Roth, isn't it?"

Roth froze right there. The man was good.

"How the hell…" Roth trailed off and pulled up a chair from the corner.

Monty chuckled, "Rothsworth."

"Just Roth."

"No, you're name is Rothsworth," Monty said with a smile and grabbed his water, "I remember clearly when mother decided on a name for you."

"Mother?" Roth repeated.

"Yes, our mother," Monty said, "You're my brother, Rothsworth."

* * *

><p>With Roth absent because of the recent events at the front gates, Herobrine and Garfunkel decided to return to the archives and work some more on assisting in the fight against the Redstone Rebellion in anyway. However, it seemed that all information they uncovered was already evident throughout most of Anascentia. They were treading water at this point.<p>

"Well, what now?" Herobrine said, leaning back in his chair in the archives. The two were situated at a dark oak table with coffee, bread, and stacks of books for each of them. They had made no discoveries yet but were still confident that they would learn something new that day.

Garfunkel sipped his coffee and picked up another book, "I haven't the slightest ideas. Master Bastil has been rather quiet during these past hours, hasn't he? Strange for the moderator to be absent at a time like this."

"Whatever he decides to do about those two wanderers, he better decide soon before they turn out to be spies for the rebellion. I bet you that's exactly what it is. They're all a bunch of filthy spies." Herobrine proclaimed and closed his book.

"Spies? You know little to nothing about them."

"That's why. The better spies will keep to themselves so that they won't accidentally divulge information. It's how the business works. Trust a former mercenary, will you?" Herobrine explained and stood up.

Just then a woman in a white suit entered into the archives with a piece of paper. Without hesitation she approached Herobrine and handed the paper to him, "We have a proposition for you.

"Proposition? For what?" Herobrine asked. This was a little too sudden for him.

"For the past few weeks a pack of mobs, particularly spiders, has been harassing the children that are brought outside of the city for lessons. Now that you're here, we'd like to offer you a decent amount of pay for your services in vanquishing the spiders. Would you kindly accept?" The woman asked.

"Wait a minute," Herobrine set the paper down on the table and looked to Garfunkel, "There have been plenty of good soldiers here capable of dealing with these spiders. Why not hire them? Do you not trust the guards that you yourselves hired?"

The woman cleared her throat nervously, "They… Haven't been the most productive as of recently. With the threat of the Redstone Rebellion still at large, it's not wise to throw them at pointless hazards. But since you're here and not a part of the army, then we were hoping you would be of some assistance to us."

Garfunkel stood up and looked at the paper that Herobrine had received, "I'd say go for it. While it does seem rather inane, it is a task and tasks are meant to completed. Otherwise they wouldn't be called tasks."

"Well, in that case," Herobrine began and pulled out his sword, "Where do I start?"

The woman looked happy, "If you exit out the front gates and go to your right you'll come across some grassy hills. The students are usually brought there for classes but are disturbed by these spiders. Good luck." She left.

As soon as she was out of the archives, Herobrine sighed and shook his head with disappointment, "This is bullshit."

"Then you shouldn't have agreed to it," Garfunkel said.

"But because these numbskulls made me seem like a freaking god I have to live up to those expectations for people to take me seriously! It's how the world works, Garfunkel. I expected you of all people to understand." Herobrine said and left.

Garfunkel nodded and grabbed his cup of coffee, "Trust me, I do."

* * *

><p>In the clinic, Roth had closed and locked the door to Monty's room. He made sure that no one would bother them as they discussed the meaning behind their ancestry. Roth returned to his seat and looked at the patient with confusion, "You're my brother?"<p>

"And you are my brother," Monty said with a happy smile, "Mother left father long ago and took you away with a man who she hired as a bodyguard. I guess you must've thought of him as your father, though. A bit strange, ain't it?"

Roth couldn't believe it. He was facing his own brother that he'd never known before, "I don't remember, though. I don't remember you at all. The earliest I can remember is joining the army but…" Now he was visualizing his life with his mother and this man who protected both of them, "Now I remember more. Why did they separate? I don't understand too much right now."

"Father was being a bit harsh with how he was siding with the Redstone Rebellion. It was after mother left and he went into a depression that he began to hate the rebellion once again. So it goes." Monty explained.

"And that man with you… That was…"

"Indeed. That was father," Monty said solemnly, "I'm sorry he didn't recognize you. I barely did either before I heard your voice. It reminded me of our childhood."

Roth was feeling it. Nostalgia.

"Everybody has a childhood, you know," Monty said, "It shapes them for the rest of their life. It makes them into who they are meant to be. You can't be someone without having a childhood. Childhood makes you decide your faith, your choices, and your friends. Without a childhood you don't know anything."

"Is that why I'm atheist?" Roth asked.

Monty simply laughed, "Don't worry, Roth. We're all atheists in the family. Mother raised you that way, I'm betting. There's nothing to worry about. It's just a philosophy, not a life changing decision. Don't take it seriously."

"Right. I'll try," Roth said and was reminded of Eden, who was also an atheist. That was a different time in his life, though. A terrible time that he hoped wouldn't shape his future negatively.

"So you decided to join the army," Monty said and sipped his water, "I wanted to do the same when I was younger but because of my father's negativity towards the rest of the world, I wasn't given the chance. Imagine us two working together to fight crime. It would've been great."

This was too much for Roth to take in. He was hearing all of the insights of a brother he never remembered all in a wave of nonsense. He could barely comprehend what he was being told, "Where were you travelling to, Monty? The other guy said that you got attacked by the rebellion while travelling somewhere. Where was it that you were going?"

"The other guy? Why can't you simply call him father? It is much easier, really," Monty ignored Roth's question.

"I can't really call him father when he wasn't a father to me. How can I respect him rightfully when my childhood is absent from mind? Mother raised me, not this deceased man." Roth said, worrying that he was upsetting Monty.

He was.

"He's your father! He impregnated mother who then gave birth to you!" Monty was becoming slightly more aggressive in tone. He stared at Roth angrily. He was a very emotional man alright.

Roth shook his head and stood up, "That's not the way I see it."

"Then you don't understand what family is!"

Those words hit Roth deep, "You're right; I don't. And I accept that."

Roth left.

Monty threw his glass of water to the ground.

* * *

><p>The sun was high in the sky, something that Herobrine always took notice when venturing out into the wild. When the sun was covered by a field of clouds, he knew that it would rain and rain would make his tasks difficult to complete. And he needed to complete those tasks because they wouldn't be tasks if they didn't need to be completed.<p>

The hills to the right (south, really) of Imperial City were steep but an excellent location to grab the attention of young, aspiring students. As Herobrine approached the hills, though, there were no students to be seen. Flowers were planted all along the grass, sprucing up the area and making it stand out from the rest of the green terrain the blended in with the harsh desert.

"Well, this is dandy," Herobrine said to himself and ascended the hill. As he reached the top he began to hear the shrieks of younger children. This was obviously what he was sent to do since nobody wanted to listen to little kids shriek or cry. It just wasn't possible.

At the top of the hill, a bit of a way across the field at the top, was a group of spiders surrounding younger kids. The teachers were on the other side of the spiders, hitting them with sticks and buckets but not doing much to save the children. They would be completely hopeless at this point if Herobrine wouldn't have shown up.

"Stand aside, everyone!" Herobrine shouted and ran at the spiders. He began slicing through the group of mobs with his sword, defeating them in single slashes. Their bodies would fall apart before turning to dust. Eventually they all began to flee and escape from the power of Herobrine, the destroyer of spiders.

The kids all looked at Herobrine with curiosity. They then erupted with applause. The teachers then approached Herobrine and patted him on the back, congratulating him for saving them from the wrath of the spiders. After they had decided to back off, the teachers let the kids go off and play a little bit just so that they could have a talk with the "god" himself.

"Why wouldn't you leave the castle yesterday?" One teacher asked.

"Did you really defeat Chaos by yourself?" Another asked.

"Have you ever been in love?" Another asked.

"What kind of powers does a god have?" The last one asked.

"None, that's what, now shut the hell up," Herobrine shouted and sat down on the grass, "The next person that calls me a god will end up with a sword sticking out of their back. I'm no god; I'm just a warrior like any other noble knight with a sword. I'm no different so don't treat me like such."

The teachers were quiet.

"What did you do to set those spiders off anyway? They aren't supposed to be hostile during the day," Herobrine asked, setting his sword down beside him and leaning back to feel the sun bathe him in radiance.

The teachers looked at each other, not sure how to answer that.

"Well?" Herobrine asked again.

"We're not sure. We were just here teaching Biology and-"

Herobrine groaned and shook his head, "You're shitting me, right? You took a spider to teach the kids about Biology? Forget the kids; you idiots need to go back to school and understand not to screw stuff like this up."

The four teachers backed off and sat down on the hill, regretting everything they'd tried to teach the kids. They'd nearly killed them, after all.

As Herobrine relaxed and looked up into the sky, he heard the breathing of a few students behind him, "You're Herobrine? My parents told me about you! You saved the world!"

"Yeah, sure I did," Herobrine sighed, not looking at the group of kids that had surrounded him.

"They said you beat a guy named Chaos. Who was he?" A little girl asked.

Of course, the age old question that he was asked every other day: who was Chaos exactly? However, them being kids, it's understandable that they'd be completely obliviously to it all. Herobrine sat up and wrapped his arms around his legs, "Chaos was this man that I was best friends with. We were people called 'mercenaries' who delivered weapons in battles. When I wanted to leave and help people, he wanted to do bad things and, well… I had to stop him." He explained in the simplest way.

The kids all gasped and smiled at how awesome he sounded.

"Do you have a brother?" A guy asked.

"Do you have a sister?" A girl asked.

"Do you have a wife?" Another girl asked.

Herobrine shook his head, "I've never been in love. The closest I had gotten to a relationship was with a woman from the Northern Sands who was in deep trouble."

"Why? What was wrong?" The kids asked.

Herobrine looked out over Imperial City, "Her husband wanted the bad guys to win in a battle and she was worried that she would be hurt. I had to take her and her son out of there and to safety. This was after I beat Chaos, so I was still trying to get over from having to…" He knew he couldn't mention having to kill Chaos. It was the most emotional thing he had done up to that point.

The kids all looked at Herobrine, wide-eyed, "What happened to the mother?"

"I heard she died," Herobrine said, not thinking about what he was saying. His mind was stuck on Chaos now.

"Then what happened to the child?" The kids asked.

Herobrine stood up and sheathed his sword, "I don't know. I hope he's alright. Was one of the smartest kids I'd ever met. The mother definitely knew how to raise a great man. Maybe I'll meet him some day."

* * *

><p>Hours passed and Roth couldn't get over the fact that he had just met his brother. It was unexpected and he had already angered him on the first day! Roth hung around the castle for the rest of the day, trying to get over how he truly didn't understand what family was. He didn't remember family or his childhood so what did that make him? If what Monty said was true, then did Roth have no purpose since he had no childhood? He couldn't understand anything. He kept to himself until another doctor approached him.<p>

"Montgomery wishes to speak with you again," The doctor said.

Taking in a deep breath, Roth followed the doctor back to the clinic and entered into Monty's room. His dreadlocked brother was sitting in his bed, looking at Roth with a bit more appreciation this time, "Feeling alright? Sorry I got a bit worked up last time."

"Yeah, I'm alright. I should be asking you that, though. Are you feeling okay?" Roth asked, sitting down again.

"Couldn't be better. Doctors say that I should be fit to leave soon but they'll have to run a few tests first to make sure I don't have any infections or anything. Hey, I've heard Herobrine is in the castle somewhere. Is that true?" Monty asked.

Roth nodded, "Yeah, but he's out right now. Should be back soon."

"When he does get back, do you think I could meet him?" Monty asked.

"Sure, I guess. He's been rather busy lately, though. Just make sure not to call him a 'god' or anything. He despises that more than anything," Roth  
>advised and stood up. He went into the doctor's office and asked for when Herobrine would be back.<p>

The doctor looked up from his papers, "Dunno. Ask someone else."

Roth left the clinic and was heading for the lobby when he saw Garfunkel exit out of the archives with a book underneath his arm, "Garfunkel!"

Garfunkel looked down the hall and saw Roth, "Master Roth?"

"Garfunkel, when is Herobrine gonna be back?" Roth asked.

Just then the doors to the castle flew open and Herobrine himself entered into the castle. He walked to Roth with his right hand holding onto his sheath, "I'm here. What is it that you need?"

"So you know that Monty dude, right?"

"Monty dude?" "The guy in the clinic that wound up at the gates this morning? The guy that I found?" Roth described.

Herobrine thought about it and then nodded.

"Well, it turns out that he's my brother," Roth said.

"Looks like you do have a childhood, after all," Herobrine said, "At least part of one. Anyway, is that all? He's your brother?"

"He wants to meet you."

Herobrine shook his head and turned around, "Nope."

"Come on!" Roth pleaded, "He'd really appreciate it!"

"No, I'm not meeting him. Already I know that he'll just praise me for things that I don't deserve praise on. It's that simple. Tell him that meeting me won't be anything special," Herobrine headed for the stairs.

"I've told him that you hate being called a god and everything! He understands, trust me!" Roth said.

Herobrine stopped and gave in, "Fine. But just a small visit."

The two went into the clinic and followed through the doorway to Monty's room. As they opened the door and entered in, however, Roth froze and nearly fainted. Herobrine merely stood in place and shook his head before backing out into the hallway.

Monty lay in his bed, blood running down his chest from his neck. He had stuck a piece of glass into his neck and stared at the doorway, completely dead. A note was placed on his lap.

"What…" Roth stopped before looking the other way.

Herobrine stepped past Roth and looked at the note, "Of course."

"What?"

Herobrine ripped up the note, "Long ago a group of people who followed Chaos existed. It looks like your brother was one and wanted to prove a point to me somehow by killing himself. Silly little man."

Roth punched Herobrine, "Don't talk about him like that."

"He's an insane man, Roth," Herobrine reacted to the punch like it was nothing, "Anyone who thought that Chaos was a man with the right mind is insane. Trust somebody who has had to deal with them for years. I know Anascentia better than you and that includes its people."

Roth and Herobrine were escorted out of the room a bit later while the doctors tried to clean up the mess. They left to the lobby where Garfunkel was looking out the window at the bustling city. The citizens had finally decided to stop rallying in front of the castle to meet Herobrine.

"This group," Roth began, sore in the throat, "Are they dangerous?"

Herobrine shook his head, "They're insane but not dangerous."

"How does that work?"

"The Cult of Chaos, as they were called, were the origins of the Redstone Rebellion," Herobrine explained and walked over to Garfunkel, "I'm sure  
>Garfunkel remembers."<p>

Garfunkel turned around, "Remembers what?"

"The Cult of Chaos," Herobrine said.

"Ah, yes. Completely forgot about them. Indecent folks indeed."

Roth sat down on the bench located underneath the large windows in the lobby, "Then why don't I understand? Ever since Monty came into the city I've been confused on just about everything."

Herobrine sat down beside Roth, "Don't think of yourself as confused. You're still learning is all. Not many people remember The Cult of Chaos because they were rather obscure and only targeted certain places in Anascentia."

"Then what about my family?"

"What about it?"

"I don't know."

"Then leave it at that," Herobrine began, "Why wonder when you should be happy now? It's unlikely that you'll learn anything now but that shouldn't stop you from learning other things. It's simple, really. Family is strong but won't get you anywhere when it keeps dragging you down."

Roth shook his head, "I don't understand you."

"There's a bit of family in everyone, Roth," Herobrine said.


	21. 2 6 Master of the Forbidden

**First and foremost, many things in this chapter were created by other users. Continue to the bottom to see credit. I did not make everything here.**

**And now for something else.**

**I have decided to withdraw my statement of this being my last story. I will continue to work on the site. This still means that Tales of Anascentia will be cancelled, but feel free to make any stories you want with it (just let me know in advance). Go to my profile to see what I have planned for the future! Also, I have uploaded a poll asking for your favorite character in The Diamond Compass. Why don't you drop by and give your input?**

**Yet again, I do not own Minecraft. Review if you like what you see.**

* * *

><p>A familiar scent was floating through the air. It was a strange, peculiar scent that was strange in the sense that it had never been sensed before. Frank would smell this scent and remember it yet know that he had never encountered it before. Serenade was the same way except that she was pinpointing the last time she had encountered such a mystical scent.<p>

The sky was cloudy as the sand sea slowly transitioned from the peach color of the sediment to a massive plain of complete obsidian. No hills were seen for miles and the forthcoming rain didn't help the atmosphere one bit. Yet they pressed on, Frank keeping the lead despite suffering from a headache brought on by the split in his personalities.

Serenade kept watch on the duo's surroundings to make sure they weren't being watched, "So… What do you think this blade is like? The Obsidian Magma Blade? Where is it anyway?"

"Garfunkel already said," Frank said and pulled out his gun, firing a few bullets blankly at the ground, "The sword is somewhere in these plains. If we keep searching then we'll find it. The Obsidian Flats aren't the largest location in the world so we shouldn't have to strain too much."

"It would be a hell ton easier if you hadn't shot Orobas," Serenade scoffed.

This didn't hurt Frank emotionally in the slightest way. He just kept walking, shooting at random points; reloading his gun carefully; and then shooting wildly again. Finally he holstered it and crouched down, looking at the exact line where the ground met the sky.

Serenade crouched beside him, "What do you see?"

"Nothing. Just like this place is known for." Frank began walking again.

"Yeah, speaking of which," Serenade felt a bit uneasy in such a jarring location, "What is the history of this place? Did somebody just make a desert of obsidian? It disturbs me for some reason that I've never heard or seen this place before."

"The story goes that during the lifespan of the Thaumaturgists, one such screwed up badly and caused this complete mayhem to form the Obsidian Flats. The man disappeared and now we have this desolate little place. Interesting, eh? How one man can go ahead and make an entirely new terrain himself by accident? Gives a whole new meaning to 'man-made," Frank explained. He really did take interest in this type of history despite never delving into it like other philosophers would at his age.

Serenade stopped, "Thaumaturgists? Never heard that term before."

"Then I reckon you never heard of Thaumcraft before either," Frank began yet again, "It was a rare practice amongst users that required the use of minerals, elements found in the ground itself, and complicated construction. Not many were able to get too far into the subject but those who did were referred to as 'Thaumaturgists'; practitioners of Thaumcraft. That make sense? The man who created the Obsidian Flats screwed up with Thaumcraft and made this mess by himself."

While it was a lot to take in about a part of the world that Serenade never wandered into too often, she did begin to understand it bit by bit. Frank's little lesson began to become more realistic as the two continued their trek across the black surface. The only sound was their breathing and feet against the cold stone.

The sounds became more agonizing every second.

Every single minute.  
><em><br>Bang._

"What was that for?" Serenade asked.

Frank held out his gun, watching as a slight burst of smoke trailed from the mouth, "Had to break the silence. It makes me go crazy every now and then."

So they kept walking with gunshots being fired every minute or so. It wasn't the sound that was getting to Serenade; rather, it was the fact that Frank was wasting precious ammo at a consistent rate. By the time they actually got to where they would need to go, he would be out and they would be left to fend without proper weapons.

"You don't fight, do you?" Frank asked randomly.

"Huh? Do I look like a fighter?" Serenade commented on her shape.

"Not really. Just expected the daughter of the great moderator to be a bit more on the defensive side. Even if your defensive you should know how to handle a weapon of some sort," Frank said, spinning his gun around on his index finger.

Then the diamond sword came back into thought. Serenade _did_have a weapon but gave it away freely to the man she loved for a mere day. Could things have been different if she hadn't given Sabre_Mace the sword and she had kept it instead? "Probably not," She thought out loud, "That squid in the sewers would have completely destroyed us if he was weaponless."

"What're you rambling on about now?" Frank asked.

Serenade's face turned red, "N-Nothing."

"Whatever. Looks like something is ahead," Frank said and began to pick up his pace. The two began to run ahead, crossing over the massive environement before falling backwards as a large wave of lava flew up from the ground. It went a meter or two into the air before crashing down. Frank was just inches away from coming into contact with the melted substance.

As he got back to his feet and retained composure, Frank approached the place that the lava had just shot out of. Upon further inspection, there was finally a change in landscape – a small pond of lava was the cause of the burst. Serenade walked around the puddle and continued walking before noticing that that wasn't the only pond of lava around them.

"Damn, looks intense," Frank remarked after noticing a field of lava holes littered around the Obsidian Flats in front of them, "At least we're getting somewhere now. If we're searching for the Obsidian Magma Blade and we've already come across lava and obsidian, then we've definitely come to the right place. Now it all comes down to figuring out what to do next."

"Well, let's think about it a bit," Serenade said, pacing around on the obsidian ground, "We're surrounded by obsidian, so there's that. But the sword is called the Obsidian _Magma_Blade, not the Obsidian Lava Blade. Magma is usually underground, not above. Perhaps we're not looking deep enough?"

This made perfect sense to Frank, who immediately took that into account and began walking quickly around the puddles and ponds of lava. Since Serenade was correct, there would have to be an opening of some sort eventually, especially since they were already reaching the outer boundaries of the flats once again.

"There's nothing like an opening around here," Frank shouted angrily.

"Calm down, we'll find something if we look harder," Serenade said calmly and took another step beside a pond of lava.

The obsidian block sunk slightly.

Serenade fell over onto her side and called for Frank's help.

Frank ran right over and tried to help her up but pressed down on the block even more. Eventually the lava from the pond began to seep onto the lowered block just as Frank moved Serenade out of the way.

The block was covered with lava almost instantly, but that wasn't the profound moment that intrigued the pair – it was what happened afterwards. The block to the side of the block that was just covered with lava caught on fire and began burning furiously. It disappeared and a loud, ear-shattering rumble shook Serenade's and Frank's body.

All of the blocks around them began to slowly collapse into the ground, much like an inverted pyramid. The entirety of the Obsidian Flats was sinking with Frank and Serenade right in the middle of it. All of the lava ponds began to flow down toward the bottom, where a single block was placed at the lowest point. When the lava reached there, that block melted as well and the lava flowed right through.

"What just happened?" Serenade was awe-struck.

"Looks like those were decoy blocks," Frank thought and noticed a metal doorway on western side of the obsidian hills, "And we happened to be incredibly lucky to learn that. Let's see if we can move on from here with just as much ease."

Frank approached the metal door and opened it by simply pushing on it, something that he had never encountered with a metal door before. Serenade followed closely behind as they descended into the depths of the underground. Torches were placed along the walls as the stone steps kept taking them further into these seemingly ancient cobblestone hallways. They were incredibly narrow with spiders and cobwebs at almost every corner.

After walking down several hundred feet into the unknown depths of the underbelly of the Obsidian Flats, a double door stood in Frank and Serenade's path. Once it was pushed open, Frank stepped out and nearly fainted from where they had arrived. It was a magnificent lake of lava spanning miles to his right and left. A long cobblestone bridge stood in front of him, about fifteen blocks wide all the way down. The bridge connected the cave that Frank and Serenade had just exited from to what looked like a cross between a castle and a pyramid made completely of bedrock. A waterfall of lava flowed from the ceiling high above into the lake.

"Something tells me we're supposed to be here," Frank commented and began to walk across the bridge. Bubbles of magma would burst all around Frank and Serenade while they crossed over the cobblestone bridge, causing small fires to start on the bridge before completely disappearing.

Frank kept his gun in hand as they approached the castle. He pointed it forward and stepped slowly forward, keeping Serenade behind him in case anything was to leave at that very moment.

"Looks like we're safe," Frank said and calmed a bit at the front of the castle.

"Who built this castle?" Serenade wondered aloud, "It's almost unbearable to even walk down here. Imagine building an entire castle in these conditions!"

The temperature was incredibly hostile in the lower underground. With lava beginning a primary surrounding, it seemed literally impossible to do anything in such a scenario. No mobs were seen able to exist in these conditions, giving off an eerie sense of loneliness.

"Well, shall we?" Frank said and reached for the massive Redstone doors.

"No, you shall not." A voice shouted from above.

Frank, with his gun still in hand, aimed it above and pulled the trigger randomly. His bullet flew through the air before hitting the ceiling far above and disappearing. He looked down, still holding his gun carefully, while a figure jumped from atop the castle and landed perfectly on the bridge. This man was covered in complete silver except for his head where he had several different pairs of eyes on all sides of his head – red on the front, yellow on the back, blue on the left, and green on the right. He just stared for a second before taking a few steps forward.

Frank put his hand in front of Serenade and walked toward the stranger carefully, his gun lowered, "Did you just say that? Do you live here? What's your name?"

The stranger's eyes began to flash different colors before his red eyes returned to the front, "I'm sorry but no one else is allowed down here. This is my Bedrock Temple; my sanctuary of peace and prosperity. Having others down here will only tarnish said prosperity and make me angry. Trust me, I'm never angry."

"Who are you?" Frank asked again.

"Call me Tripwire if that helps," the man said and put his palms together in front of him, making his fingers into a circular shape and pointing toward Serenade and Frank, "Now leave."

Frank and Serenade stood their ground, although uncertain.

They immediately regret it.

A light blue light began to radiate from Tripwire's hands. It gradually expanded before completely consuming his entire body. It remained that way for a few seconds before minimizing to a smaller sphere shape with mist surrounding it. It looked like Earth in some way except for the lack of the green landmasses.

"Then stand and die," Tripwire said and held the blue ball out in front of him. It began to shine again before letting out a deafening piercing sound. The ball transformed into an incredibly massive laser that shot towards the castle at great speeds. Frank and Serenade leaped to the sides, just barely missing the large laser and keeping their lives, "Well, that was disappointing."

Frank stood up and pointed his gun again, "What the hell kind of stunt was that? We've done nothing to you!" He looked over at where the laser had collided with the castle but noticed that no mark was left. It had seemed like nothing had been there at all, "And how did you not completely demolish  
>this thing?"<p>

Tripwire put his hands behind him and walked towards the castle doors, "Interesting."

"What?" Frank asked.

"You didn't even wonder where I had developed the ability to use a laser. Fascinating. Everyone that has ever crossed my path would ask that before I shot them dead," Tripwire held out his right hand and charged up another blue ball, "That one I just used was much more powerful than your typical laser. This one is probably much weaker but I'm considering sparing you now."

Serenade stood up and grabbed Frank's arm, "Let's get outta here! This dude is insane!"

Frank pushed her off, "No way. This seems like it would be a proper location for the Obsidian Magma Blade."

The attention of Tripwire went off as he twitched his head over to Frank, "Astaroth's Bane? Why in the world are you looking for such a treasure?"

"Astaroth's Bane?" Serenade looked over at Tripwire.

The stranger coughed and looked out across the bridge, "So you're here for Astaroth's Bane. Haven't had visitors in quite a while. The last one to get here was killed instantly but, well, I've moved on."

"We're not looking for this Astaroth's Bane," Frank sighed and grabbed Serenade's arm, "Come on, let's get going."

"But wait!" Tripwire shouted, "It is what you are looking for!"

"Shut it. We're done here," Frank shouted back.

Tripwire kneeled down and pressed the blue sphere into the ground. He then shot into the air, sailing over Frank and Serenade. He landed in front of them and stood up instantly, "The sword that can burn anything and everything, yes it is here! The name has been spread around as the Obsidian Magma Blade as a riddle. I didn't want people to be completely oblivious to the location of it. The name that you know it by is simply so that people can actually attempt to get here. You two seem different than most, though. Not something that I see often."

"Then what does Astaroth's Bane mean?" Serenade asked.

"There was an Endersend by the name of Astaroth that I had brought down. He was known as one of the strongest Endersend out there so this victory was something I would want to cherish forever. I crafted his powers into a sword of unimaginable power that no one has ever had the ability to retrieve. Are you two going to change my mind about that?" Tripwire asked. He seemed like he _wanted_them to find the blade.

Yet again, Frank declined and went for the exit.

Just as they were about to ascend the steps to the above ground, Serenade escaped from Frank's grasp and went back to Tripwire, who was shocked by her return.

"Serenade!" Frank shouted angrily.

"Tell me," Serenade approached Tripwire, "That power that you have… What is it? You say laser but I say bullshit. What is it exactly?"

Tripwire looked over at Frank, who was returning as well, "That laser was a result of Thaumcraft."

That name rang a bell. Serenade and Frank recalled back to their discussion prior to descending downwards. Frank had explained that the Obsidian  
>Flats was formed by a Thaumcraft experiment gone wrong. What did that mean for this man?<p>

"Thaumcraft, you say?" Frank began, "You're a Thaumaturgist?"

Tripwire nodded, "The last."

"I don't believe it."

Tripwire formed yet another blue ball, "How do you explain this?"

Frank had already lost.

"This is something that not many Thaumaturgists have practiced before. The power to create weapons or magic out of thin air has been the most dangerous practice since Thaumcraft could only reach its full potential if the proper equipment were utilized. Sadly, I lost my equipment long ago in a terrible accident and that led me to becoming one with the practice," Tripwire said and formed a green and then red ball, "I am basically Thaumcraft in the flesh. It's how I was able to craft Astaroth's Bane and make it the most powerful weapon in the world."

"So wait a second," Frank became confused, "You made this weapon and began to make it more well-known so people would come down here and then you would kill them?"

"You make it sound worse than it really is. Nobody has ever been able to retrieve Astaroth's Bane since it is located deep within the Bedrock Castle. Getting to the castle is the first step while getting through it is the second. If they can't complete the first, how could they possibly continue to the second? I merely test them to see if they are capable of getting the sword. Whenever we fought, they would always stand their ground which is why they've always ended up dying," Tripwire shot the green and red balls to the side, making a laser shoot out to the far walls, "It's also my plan to keep it away from Eligos."

"Eligos?" Serenade echoed.

"Or does he still go by Obsidian666?"

This news came as a shocker to Frank and Serenade. They walked over to the side of the bridge and leaned against its railing, "Obsidian666 is really called Eligos?" Serenade wanted to be sure.

"He changed it to that in case anyone from the real world was capable of understanding what he really was," Tripwire leaned against the railing with the others, "He may seem like a normal user when, in actuality, he is a virus that has corrupted Anascentia."

"A virus?" Frank was incredibly confused, "How the hell do you know all of this?"

"Because I'm from the Tech Apocalypse and, sadly, I'm one of the few who are aware of what it is."

"Tech Apocalypse?" Serenade recalled back to all the times that she had heard that term before, primarily when Exile attacked Sabre_Mace in the sewers.

Tripwire nodded and began to walk back to the castle, "If you are unaware, then remain that way. I'd hate to have your mind deteriorate into nothing. I've seen that happen to many times, primarily to my now deceased fellow Thaumaturgists, but no more. Are you going to go for Astaroth's Bane or shall you turn back now?"

The trio was suddenly interrupted by the presence of another figure. He appeared at the other side of the bridge, standing outside the double doors in a black trench coat. He had short, black hair with a large scar stemming from his left eye. He stared at Tripwire with eyes full of agony.

Slowly he stepped forward before removing a black handle from his waist underneath the trench coat. He swung the handle once and a white and red claymore erupted from its end. It was massive with various designs etched into it. Several spikes were placed into its flat sides. It looked incredibly heavy but the man carried it with ease.

"Sir Tripwire," the man said and swung the claymore, "Thaumcraft was categorized as extinct long ago. I expect it to remain that way. It's like having a government fall only for a king to still exist."

Tripwire formed a yellow ball and blasted it at the man, who dodged to the side, "Who are you to threaten my well being?"

The man remained in place, looking down, before looking up and staring at Tripwire angrily again, "My name is Octagon, sir, and Thaumcraft must remain dead."

"Ah, I see," Tripwire chuckled, "You desire the extinction of Thaumcraft when it is the very practice that led to the creation of Astaroth's Bane, which is what you are after. Is that it? You're not here to bring extinction. You are merely here for the sword. Now why do you want the sword?"

Octagon ran toward Tripwire and stabbed the claymore towards the Thaumaturgist. He barely dodged out of the way and nearly fell over the side of the bridge.

"My reasons are to remain to myself," Octagon held the tip of his sword to Tripwire's neck, "You're death shall serve greatly in the restoration of Anascentia."

"Ha, I get it," Tripwire kicked Octagon off and formed another blue ball, "You're here for Eligos, am I right? How absurd. That man cannot be trusted at all. He is completely insane."

"You're just angry because he didn't trust you when you joined."

"That isn't relevant to anything, Octagon," Tripwire shot the blue ball at Octagon, who rolled out of the way again, "Leave at once with your life. I won't allow you to go any further if you are working for that mad man."

Octagon sighed and snapped his fingers. A few seconds later an army of rebels began to file into the area, carrying all sorts of weapons. They rallied behind Octagon, who held the flat side of his sword to his chest. He smiled and pointed the sword to Tripwire, "Mad man? You just insulted every single one of us. Prepare to die."

Then it made sense to Serenade.

She jumped in front of Tripwire before he could proceed to killing Tripwire, "You're Octagon!"

"Move aside."

"You know SunRose then, right?"

Octagon remained still, shaken by the name.

"And Garfunkel?"

Anger was building up inside of him.

"And Sabre_Mace?"

He couldn't contain it anymore. He sliced the sword horizontally, missing Serenade. She fell backwards while Frank jumped in front of her, his gun cocked and ready to fire at Octagon.

"You know Sabre_Mace and the rest?" Frank was surprised.

"I'm surprised you know them," Octagon said and approached Frank, "You shouldn't be associated with those bastards. They oppose Lord Eligos and wish only for the world to continue in suffering. They only want The Diamond Compass so that Eligos can be destroyed and Anascentia can be the horrid wasteland that it has always been. Things could change but you won't allow us to continue."

Frank pushed the mouth of the gun to Octagon's neck, "You are sick. I've encountered rebels before and they are working for a pointless cause."

"Pointless? Not even close." Octagon said and pressed the handle of his claymore to Frank's chest. He pushed him back and approached both Serenade and Frank as they remained on the ground.

"Pointless in every way possible," Frank growled.

Octagon smirked, "That is no way to talk to a Noble Horseman."

A large beam of light shot through the air and collided with Octagon. He flew to the side of the bridge and fell to his stomach while the other rebels stood and watched. Tripwire slowly approached them, charging up multiple lasers with a don't-mess-with-me look on his face.

"You two," Tripwire said and prepared to shoot down the entire army of rebels, "Hurry and find Astaroth's Bane. I'll take care of them. Now that I understand who you truly are, I can trust you. These men, however, must be stopped. Hurry and go!"

Frank nodded and got to his feet. He got Serenade up and they began sprinting towards the castle. They reached the massive front doors and tried desperately to open them but they wouldn't budge, "Damn it! They won't open, Tripwire!" Frank cried.

A large green light shot through the army, sending most rebels to their sides and some into the magma below the bridge. He turned around and cursed to himself while the rebels got back to their feet. Octagon got up as well and dashed past Tripwire, heading toward Frank and Serenade.

"Frank!" Serenade shrieked after noticing Octagon approach.

"I'll kill both of you!" Octagon hissed.

"Don't you dare," Frank shouted, sending his left foot on a collision course with Octagon's chin, "Threaten Serenade. Doing that will only ensure that you end up in the Nether." Frank began kicking Octagon repeatedly in the stomach and sides before beating him on the neck with his gun. The Redstone Rebel fell over, half-awake but slowly losing consciousness.

Frank went back to helping Serenade push open the door. Finally, it began to budge slightly. The other side was dark but still gave hope to the two of them. After a bit more pushing, they finally could get inside. They slipped through the small crack between doors and looked back at Tripwire as he continued fighting.

"Go!" Tripwire shouted before shooting another laser. Multiple more rebels were defeated.

The doors shut with a loud _THUD_.

The room was completely dark to Frank and Serenade.

But they had each other.

* * *

><p>There were quite a few rebels who carried shotguns with them. Those few stepped forward and began shooting at Tripwire, who was able to dodge them with ease. He continued to move out of the way of nearly every attack that the rebels launched at him while charging up another pair of lasers, this time both of them black.<p>

He began to circle the group of rebels, slowly grouping them together into a bunch. Once this was accomplished, he used one ball to shoot over top of them and the other to actually attack from above. The group scattered almost instantly, with most of them finally dead.

As Tripwire landed, the remaining rebels all pulled out large gold swords. They began to slowly approach and taunt Tripwire, who was standing still and calm. He formed a green ball and then a blue ball. Once these were formed, he crafted them into a large sword, one unlike any seen before. It looked beautiful, like a hazardous plant with blue veins running through it.

"Let this battle end, my disturbed friends," Tripwire shouted and began to bash on the swords of the rebels. They began to break repeatedly while each of the rebels collapsed to the ground. They were no match for Tripwire. Not even close.

The last of the rebels were finally defeated. The bridge was covered in the bodies of those that had attempted to overcome Tripwire. He sighed and began to deconstruct the sword he had crafted when a large amount of dirt and dust began to rain from above. The shouts and cries of more rebels echoed through the stairwell and to the bridge, where Tripwire gulped loudly and stood his ground.

"Good luck," Tripwire uttered in memory of Frank and Serenade. As more rebels began to arrive at the bridge, Tripwire formed another ball and shot himself over to the center of the group, his sword ready to pulverize those confused over right and wrong.

He was scared of death for the first time here.

* * *

><p><strong>CREDIT:<strong>

**I'd like to give 100% credit to Curtisimo for the involvement of Thaumcraft into the story, including the origin of the Obsidian Flats.**

**I'd like to give 100% credit to LightvsDark99 for Tripwire, the Obsidian Flats, AND the Obsidian Magma Blade.**

**While I merely combined these ideas, these two users helped to make my story better and I'm eternally grateful. Why not go ahead and give them a review or two? I'm sure they'd appreciate it.**


	22. 2 7 Sweet Disposition

**Updated the cover, preparing for what the next story is, getting ready to start Chaos Theory.**

**Yep, we've reached the halfway point of The Diamond Compass.**

**Nothing much to say other than the usual. I do not own Minecraft, review if you like what you see, and contribute to the poll on my profile asking for your favorite character.**

* * *

><p>A fierce wind blew through the mysterious stranger's hair. He lay on a large rock somewhere in the Sand Sea, keeping low but obviously looking for something. He kept ducking every now and then before looking over the rock again. His eyes squinted every time he looked into the horizon and he let out a sigh of relief after he would duck down again.<p>

Even though the sun was high, it was quite the cool day. It was relaxing with the casual wind blowing through every so often. Despite the hardships being taken care of in Imperial City, everything was flowing smoothly.

The heavy panting of another user caught the stranger's attention.

The stranger ducked down and looked to his left where another person, a female with a barrette and tan clothing, came running quickly. She slid behind the rock and proceeded into the fetal position before the male stranger gave the O.K, "It seems like it's just a rumor at this point. A rumor I'd like to have no part in."

"I'd beg to differ," the female said through her heavy breathing.

"Hm? What's that supposed to mean?" The male asked.

The female stood up and pointed across the rock, "Just over those hills… They've already set up camp. We need to head back now and report what we found. Even if those particular rebels aren't attacking, it's something that Bastil would want to know."

"Or, you know, Herobrine." The guy said and began walking with the female back to Imperial City.

"What?"

The guy shook his head and began to fall behind, "Nothing. It's just that it seems like nobody in the army seems to acknowledge Herobrine's godly powers. All they wanna do is make him seem like a normal warrior."

"Because Bastil ordered us to," the female explained, "Herobrine hates being called a god. Bastil told us to not refer to him by such title and simply  
>treat him like one of us. So don't expect him to clean up after us, got it? He's just another warrior that doesn't want to meddle in affairs."<p>

"You don't know that. Sure, he may hate being called a god, but he'd still wanna help us if the Redstone Rebellion attacked, right?" The male asked.  
>The female kept walking.<p>

"Right?" The male became slightly worried.

"Just keep walking. We'll worry about it later."

* * *

><p>Inside Imperial City, the news of Herobrine's presence had circulated and run its course. Now everyone treated him as a simple, noble part of the community rather than the "hero" he was. It was something he truly enjoyed about the city. Looking over it from the top of the castle's steps, he had his arm around Roth, who was still in emotional distress.<p>

"Look, there's always gonna be death, no matter what you decide to do. If you think that you can change fate, then go right ahead and prove me wrong. Crying and begging for him to come back won't do anything." Herobrine explained, patting Roth gently on the shoulder.

Roth had cried only for a little bit earlier but grew out of it quickly. He picked up leaves on the steps and ripped them up, watching their remains fly through the wind, "I don't want to change fate. I'm not that stupid. I just wish that… Maybe we could've talked some more. He was the only thing I had that could give me insight on my childhood."

"Well, like I said," Herobrine stood up at the sight of the two scouts at the front gates of Imperial City, "Some things are best left a mystery."

The scouts sprinted to the stairs without ease. They hurried up the steps to Herobrine, who backed up to the top and began leading them into the castle. Roth followed as the male scout began to speak up, "Sir, where is Bastil? We have spotted a party of rebels but we're unsure if their destination is our city."

"Bastil wanted some alone time. However, it seems we did the right thing in sending you out then. I knew something fishy was bound to come up after Monty admitted to being attacked by rebels. Could those be the same rebels? Either way, we should let the other soldiers know so we can be properly prepared." Herobrine said and dismissed the two scouts.

While Herobrine began to ascend the steps to the throne room, Roth followed him halfway up before stopping, "Herobrine?"

"Huh?" Herobrine stopped and looked back.

"Will you help us?" Roth asked nervously.

Herobrine stared back, uncertain of how he would word his response. It was something he wouldn't expect Roth to ask. He just faced forward and continued onto the throne room. He opened up the wooden door and entered to find Bastil in his throne, staring blankly at the floor. He had a cup of wine in one hand and bread in the other. He looked sleep deprived.

The moderator looked up, dropping his cup of wine in surprise, "Oh, you're back! So, uh, how did the research go?"

"Expect a surprise attack sooner or later is all I'll say," Herobrine said and kneeled, "I've already ordered for the knights to be prepared for an attack. If the rebels do show their sorry faces, then they won't go home with them."

Bastil smiled an awkward smile before looking to his right and biting into his stale bread, "Sounds good."

"Sir, are you alright? You look ill." Herobrine stood back up.

"No, no, I'm fine. Just," Bastil stood up slowly and threw his bread to the floor, "Just need to think things over right now. Military tactics was never my specialty. I'll just need time to study and then I'll be good to go."

Watching Bastil wobble over to one of his bookcases sent Herobrine the message that the moderator had some sort of problem. Whether it was physical or emotional, he seemed distressed and it was only getting worse by the minute. Herobrine walked over to Bastil and grabbed the book out of his hand, "Sir, are you sure you're feeling alright? The way you walk worries me. If you are having problems, please, talk to me. I'll be your aid if no one else is around to serve you."

"No, no, I'm fine. Just," Bastil pushed Herobrine away and walked back to his throne, "Just need to think things over and-"

"Bastil!" Herobrine shouted.

The moderator jumped up a bit before slouching into his seat, "What?"

"I know something is wrong."

"Nothing."

"Something is up and I know you need help."

"I don't need anything. You're talking nonsense for a god."

This really set Herobrine off.

The legendary hero approached Bastil and pointed the tip of his sword at the moderator's neck, "Listen here, sir. I care for you. I've watched over you since your father died and you came into power. You should have the decency to show me respect and let me help you. Now tell me… What is wrong? I beg of you to enlighten me on what it is that is troubling you."

The sudden outburst brought Bastil back to reality. He sat in his throne staring at Herobrine in the eyes, "You wanna know what's wrong?"

"I do."

"You really do?"

"Bastil!"

Bastil pushed Herobrine aside and stood up, a strange fear brewing in his eyes, "I'm scared, that's what's wrong"

* * *

><p>Towards the front gate of Imperial City was a tavern called the Red Lotus, where many knights tended to drink to their hearts content following a big victory in battle. While it was no Home Sky Ale House, Roth still enjoyed the hospitality of the place, even during such a dark time.<p>

Leaning over the counter with several glasses grouped together in front of him, he ordered another one and looked over at a group of females who seemed to have been eying him the entire time he was there. While it wasn't anything new, it did help his self-esteem. He looked back at the counter where the bartender was filling up his glass.

"You doin' okay there, man?" The bartender asked, "I've never seen you come in here before."

Roth grabbed his drink and began dangerously gulping it, "I'm a new customer is all. Don't worry about me. Sometimes I need to be alone and out of the way of Bastil and all of them."

"But you still look distressed, friend." The bartender said as another user approached the counter.

The user asked for two drinks – one for him and one for Roth.

Roth looked over and saw Garfunkel, leaning on the counter with his arms, "I know what you're going through, Master Roth. Don't think you're alone. It's always a tough time when you can't remember anything."

"It's not that I can't remember anything! It's the fact that I could have known more about where the hell I came from if Monty hadn't killed himself. I swear, this is why I'm atheist. There is no need to worry about cults or gods or anything. Just myself and that's it." Roth stood up, handing the bartender some money.

"That's a very crude thing to say, Master Roth. Many people have devoted their lives to the very teachings of certain religions. How would it feel to them if they realized there was no god and that they wasted their lives completely? Sure, there will be no proper evidence for one or the other, but it has to do with how they lived out their lives and how they don't want to feel like a failure," Garfunkel walked away from the counter with Roth, leaving the drinks he just ordered randomly, "It is a prime example of what you're going through. You don't want to seem like a failure, do you?"

Roth shook his head.

"Exactly. It's why you should move forward and not try to ruin what you think was a glorious past," Garfunkel walked with Roth towards the front gate,  
>"It is pointless to try and learn something that appears to be forgotten for a reason. The whole 'destiny' thing is overplayed but still holds true on some occasions. Perhaps this is one such occasion."<p>

"You're talking nonsense, old man," Roth arrogantly stated and looked down the main street that ran straight through the city and led to the front steps of the castle. The metropolis was extremely busy for something, but Roth wasn't sure what.

The two walked down the street towards the castle before accidentally running into a female. Her bag of groceries fell right over with her ingredient rolling around on the ground. Roth and Garfunkel immediately dropped to their knees to help her back up, "We're terribly sorry, miss. Perhaps we can pay for the damages?"

The female shook her head, "No, no, nothing like that. Just stay safe."

"Stay safe? From what?" Roth asked curiously.

"The Redstone Rebellion is supposedly on their way to attack! Everyone is stocking up before a rumored evacuation takes place. Better safe than sorry, ya know? Good luck!" The woman ran off in a hurry.

Garfunkel looked to Roth worriedly, "What? The rebellion is attacking?"

They continued walking while Roth explained, "Two scouts were sent out to try and see if the same brigade of rebels that attacked my brother and father were still out there. Upon further inspection, the scouts found them and now everyone thinks that they're coming this way. Getting ahead of ourselves, aren't we?"

"Like the lady said, 'better safe than sorry." Garfunkel said and stopped at a small farmer's stand. An elderly man sat behind a table in a rocking chair, shirtless. Various finely crafted tools were spread out on the table and being sold for a fair price.

The old man leaned forward with a dirty smile, "Buyin'?"

"Browsing." Roth said as him and Garfunkel approached the table.

"Don't touch anything if yer doing that then." The man grumpily leaned back and crossed his arms while Garfunkel hovered his finger just above each tool.

After finding nothing of interest, the two continued back to the castle and sat down on the steps while everyone else continued to race for supplies,  
>"It's strange how this city becomes productive out of nowhere. I know the circumstances and everything yet-"<p>

"There's more to this city than you know," Garfunkel said while leaning back on the steps, "I've been coming here before you were even born. My wife and I would visit here every now and then. We befriended Master Bastil and lived out our lives peacefully. This city is a town of peace and that's why it seems so dead sometimes."

Something about those words struck Roth as odd, "Your wife?"

Garfunkel looked down and folded his hands.

Roth looked away, "Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"Nobody does. I wish they did. She was perfect."

* * *

><p>Now that Bastils fear was evident, Herobrine decided to take him to the archives so that they could talk in a more serene atmosphere. Nobody was in the archives since the news of the Redstone Rebellions attack had spread like wildfire. The duo sat down at a table in the corner of the library with a notepad and pen.<p>

"Now, write." Herobrine ordered.

"Write what?"

"What you're scared of."

"I'm not sure what I'm scared of."

"Because you don't bother to think for yourself," Herobrine began to grow angry by Bastil's ignorance, "Once you decide what is wrong then you'll be able to topple this fear and become a true moderator."

Bastil threw the notepad and stood up, "Maybe I'm not meant to be a moderator then. I'm only one because my father was and so was his father. Sure, maybe _they_ stopped wars but _I_can't."

"Is that all?" Herobrine stood up, "You are scared of war?"

Bastil remained silent.

"Bastil, there's nothing to be afraid of. It's just simple disposition is all. It can be overcome by a bit of thought. Let's start immediately," Herobrine began to pace around the table while Bastil took his seat again, "What about war scares you?"

"Everything," Bastil began, putting his head in his hands, "Loss of life, failure to protect the people, death itself looms overhead constantly. Everything really. War is something that is meant to be feared."

This was quite true to Herobrine. He sat down on the table and looked at Bastil, who stared blankly across the room, "It's time to conquer those fears. Otherwise war will become more than a nightmare. It'll become a reality."

They remained quiet for the next ten minutes.

Then the news broke out.

* * *

><p>"Roth!"<p>

Roth looked up to the top of the front steps where the male scout was. He was red in the face with various types of weapons hanging from his back and waist. He descended the stairs to Roth, who had stood up now, "What is it, Cornell?"

The scout pointed to the front gate, which had opened. Massive groups of citizens were now exiting in a rush, "The rumors are true. More scouts were sent out and the Redstone Rebellion _is_coming this way. They're going to attack so I was told to come get you. Where's Herobrine?"

"Dunno, but…" Roth remembered what Herobrine said, rather _did_. Would Herobrine be there for them in case war was imminent? It would seem like he'd be their deus ex machina but his role in the conflict was still a mystery, "That doesn't matter. With or without Herobrine, we will prevail. Are the other knights ready for battle?"

Cornell grabbed Roth's hand, "That's the thing. Just as we were getting ready… we were ambushed by a rebel in disguise. That's how we learned of their plans. Loretta wanted me to find you and make you her assistant, so she needs you right now."

"Loretta? Really? I never expected her to actually want me in charge of things. Either way, we need to get to the bottom of things," Roth said and looked at Garfunkel, "Thanks for the talk, Garfunkel. Make sure everyone in town is safely out, alright? Don't hurt yourself either."

The elder laughed and began down the steps, "Don't worry about my well-being, Master Roth. Everything is alright. I've still got plenty of years in me."

Roth chuckled slightly before following Cornell into the castle, down the hall to the left, and to the main lobby of the Imperial Knights. The large room was made of cobblestone with various paintings and weapons hanging on the walls. Torches lined up everywhere while seats were situated towards the middle of the room. Most of the knights either sat in or stood around the seats while a tall woman stood in the front, dressed in gold armor with white hair. She looked over to Roth and smiled, "Glad you could make it, Roth."

"As soon as I heard of a traitor I came running. What is the deal, Loretta? What're they planning exactly?" Roth approached Loretta, who was actually standing beside a hostage. The captive had a brown sack placed over his head and iron cuffs locked around his wrists. He leaned forward in a chair, motionless.

Loretta reached down and pulled the hood off the hostage. He looked a bit older than Roth with a lot of freckles and dark red hair. He had cuts covering his face and two different colored eyes, one blue and the other green. He looked like a complete mess.

"This guy has been going under the name 'Roger' for a while but now it turns out his name is Edison and he comes the rebellion. Since I want you to be my assistant during these times, I need your input on what to do with him." Loretta advised while the other knights looked on in wonder.

Roth looked down at Edison with various thoughts running through his head, "Alright, tell us exactly what the rebellion is planning. Are they sneaking in here or are they planning a full on assault?"

The hostage cursed under his breath.

"Not gonna talk?" Roth pulled up a wooden chair, "It would be just as easy to sentence you to death. Would you want that?"

Edison nodded.

"What?" Roth was shocked.

"You killed my sister."

"Who are you talking about?" Roth sat back in his chair.

"You killed my sister," Edison remained calm yet furious, "You killed Eden."

* * *

><p>From afar the crowds that were evacuating Imperial City seemed simple enough to traverse. Up close, however, is when Garfunkel realized that it would be near impossible to get anywhere. Just crossing a small street was a difficult task.<p>

When he arrived at the front gate, he ran into two knights who were operating the entrance so that the civilians could leave. Garfunkel approached them slowly, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Just stay out of our way. We've got everything under control." One knight said.

"But surely there must be something a chap like I could accomplish in this dire time." Garfunkel pleaded.

One knight left out the gate while the other rolled his eyes, "If you really want to do something that badly, then go around and make sure everyone is getting out safe. No one is left behind."

Garfunkel nodded and headed off down a random street, looking carefully at shops and homes to see if there were any particular users still packing or any that refused to leave.

Eventually he reached the College of Sir Naught of Imperial Duty, where it seemed completely empty except for various windows that had lights shining on the other side. Garfunkel opened the door and began to wander around the halls, making sure that all teachers and students were gone. All doors were shut, which was always done when a disaster would strike, except for one.

As he approached the open door, he felt something watch over him. He entered into the room slowly and flipped on the lights. Something about the classroom felt familiar. It seemed like he had been there before rather recently.

It was Professor Burnley's classroom.

"Alright, how odd," Garfunkel commented and looked around before turning off the lights and leaving, "I guess the replacement teacher doesn't have things down pat. Oh well."

As Garfunkel began to walk back down the hallway, he saw someone standing, facing him with some sort of weapon. They pointed it at Garfunkel, making a clicking sound, "Long time no see, old man."

"Eh?" Garfunkel squinted his eyes to try and make out who it was, "Who's there? And what're you holding?"

The figure began to approach Garfunkel, showcasing his bald head and black suit. He smiled and pointed the shotgun in his hand at Garfunkel, "The name is Burnley. You bastards destroyed my life so now I'm going to destroy yours."

* * *

><p>Upon hearing what the hostage had to say about Roth, the knight was removed from the room by Loretta. He sat out in the hall in front of the lobby while the others continued on in trying to understand what the rebels are trying to accomplish in attacking.<p>

With his head in his hands and a head full of confusion, Roth tried to think things over. First he met his brother who then killed himself. Now he has encountered the brother of his former lover who was actually a psycho. Life wasn't too pleasing to him at the moment.

"Roth, what're you doing?" Herobrine asked, walking down the hall.

"There you are!" Roth jumped up and approached Herobrine, "Where've you been? Imperial City is about to be attacked and you went missing! What happened?"

Herobrine looked over Roth at the door to the knights' lobby. It opened and Loretta walked out, "Roth, can you come here please?"  
>Roth walked over to Loretta with worry, "What is it?"<p>

"Who is Eden?"

At that point Roth wanted to die. Was this their plan all along? To have Eden, a rebel, become romantically involved with Roth so that her brother could uncover Roth's secret in front of everyone? How would everyone react to the fact that Roth had a relationship with someone from the Redstone Rebellion behind their backs?

"No one."

"I need to know, Roth," Loretta was extremely concerned, "We don't have much time until the rebellion attacks. Edison says that you dated this girl and subsequently killed her. What is this about? Does anyone know about this?"

Herobrine pushed Roth aside, "What is the meaning of this interrogation?"

"We've found a traitor in the knights but he says that Roth here killed his sister mercilessly." Loretta explained and led Herobrine and Roth back into the lobby, where Edison was chained up to his chair. His cuts were opened again, meaning he attempted to revolt.

Herobrine looked at Roth and then at Edison, "What's your name?"

"Edison." Edison bluntly stated.

"And when did you join the knights?"

"Last month."

"Who is Eden?"

Edison looked at Roth angrily, "My sister that this psychopath left in a burning building!'

"Why did he do this?" Herobrine asked.

"Why don't you ask the bastard himself?" Edison retorted.

"Because I want to hear from you," Herobrine began, "You're part of the rebellion. Therefore, the same must go for Eden. With that in mind, Roth would have plenty of reason to have brought her life to an end."

The tension in the room was unbearable. Many knights walked away, frightened by the confrontation that Herobrine was staging with Edison. The two just stared at each other, waiting for one to speak.

Finally, Edison began laughing.

It was a maniacal laugh.

Slowly he began to stand up, the chains tying him to the chair snapping instantly. The knights drew their swords and began circling the hostage while Herobrine unsheathed his intricate blade.

Edison twisted his wrists around in the cuffs before breaking them with ease. He looked with a devious smile at Roth, "It's about time you get what you deserve. I've had to deal with the fact that Eden is dead but now that I know that _you_ killed her, I'll be able to die in peace."  
>The tension was back.<p>

Then Edison launched his first attack.

He removed a hidden knife from the sleeve of his armor and sent it through the air towards Roth. He moved out of the way and hid behind a table while the other knights began to attack. Every second another one would fall until they were all on the floor, wounded.

"That was too fast," Edison mocked, staring Herobrine down, "Now then, let's deal with you."

"That wouldn't be a wise choice, my friend." Herobrine said.

"Oh, you think you're superior? Like a god or something?"

Herobrine grabbed both of Edison's wrists and broke them in seconds.

The traitor fell to his knees, crying in pain while Herobrine placed the hilt of his sword on Edison's neck, "Don't call me a goddamn god."

Blood covered the floor as Edison fell over, dead.

Roth slowly stood up and watched in horror as the knights were mixed in with the puddles of blood left behind by Edison. Herobrine sheathed his sword and looked over at Roth, "Roth, get a medic over here. We can't allow these knights to die when we have a war to fight."

Roth nodded and rushed out the door of the lobby. He ran down the halls and to the infirmary, where a doctor sat, "We need doctors down at the knights' lobby! Most of them are hurt and need attention!"

"What? What the hell happened?" The doctor asked.

"You know?" Roth said, catching his breath, "I'm not entirely sure either."

* * *

><p>The light shining through the window was ominous as Garfunkel's life was on the line. Dust floated through the air between him and Burnley, who was holding a loaded shotgun in hopes of achieving revenge for the events that occurred with Exile.<p>

"This is pointless, Master-" Garfunkel began.

"Cut the 'master' bullshit, old man. Why should I have to suffer from your shallow behavior? You're the stereotypical old man incapable of doing anything. It is why I've come to put you out of your misery." Burnley stepped closer.

Garfunkel began to shake nervously, "T-That makes no sense! I've done plenty on my own! I-"

"You let your own wife die. Yes, you _have_done plenty on your own," Burnley dashed forward and pushed Garfunkel up against the wall, holding the barrel of the shotgun to the elder's neck, "You are sick! You make me sick! Why is it that where I've failed, you've prevailed? No, I was a genius – I was a king until you and your goddamn friends screwed me over big time! Now look at what I've become!"

"Y-You attempted t-to usurp the t-throne. You h-had to be s-stopped." Garfunkel was having trouble breathing.

"Shut it! I'll give you permission to talk!" Burnley let go and kicked Garfunkel to the floor, "Imperial City's reckoning is about to begin. Hell, it's already begun. The new age – the restoration of this pathetic and dying world – shall begin when this city falls!"

Garfunkel looked up despite being in deep pain, "No, it won't."

Burnley pressed the mouth of the shotgun to Garfunkel's cheek, "What did you say?"

"It won't," Garfunkel smiled, "Sabre_Mace won't let it."

* * *

><p>The knights, while not hurt badly, were still worried about fighting the Redstone Rebellion right after nearly getting slaughtered by a traitor. The entirety of the living army congregated on the main street of the city. Roth stood up front with Herobrine and Loretta. They faced toward the front gate, which was left open, for the first sign of the opposing army.<p>

The three leaders stood still, staring out the gate. One was nervous, one was excited, and one wasn't sure why the hell he was there. The knights behind them looked forward, not daring to step out of line even for a second. The time didn't call for that.

Herobrine looked over at Roth, "Roth…"

"Hm?" Roth looked at Herobrine slowly.

"Who was Eden?"

Of course the question wouldn't die.

"She was someone I met in Babylon," Roth began to recall his recent adventures, "It was Sabre_Mace, SunRose, Garfunkel, Frank, Serenade, and I who had gone to Babylon to learn something. I met Eden when looking for a friend and we ended up falling for each other. We had so much in common that I have no idea where to even begin. However, she was actually a rebel and tried to kill a friend of mine."

"I see," Herobrine said, "You did the right thing."

Roth nodded.

"I'm very sorry."

"Don't be." Roth said and looked forward again.

The day was slowly shifting to evening with the sun just touching the horizon. The army stood in place for nearly twenty minutes before the first order was put out. Loretta sent Roth to approach the Sand Sea and see if the army was going to attack.

As he stepped out into the desert, he noticed that there was no army to be seen. The desert was completely empty like it should be. He looked back and shook his head, which worried Loretta. She went out to investigate while Roth returned to his place in front of the knights.

"Strange. This isn't like them." Herobrine commented.

"Dunno. I have no idea what to expect from them. Very rarely have I dealt with the rebels before besides, well… You already know." Roth said, tapping the handle of his sword with his fingers. He had repaired it from when he broke it the first day back.

"This Sabre_Mace fellow," Herobrine began, crossing his arms, "What is he like? I've heard things. Garfunkel says he is an inspiration. You speak of him like a true warrior. Bastil calls him a hero. What is he exactly?"

"Sabre_Mace?" Roth was confused for a second, "Right, you've never met him. The thing about Sabre_Mace is that he suffers from the same thing that I do. He can't remember a damn thing about his childhood either."

"How does he react to not knowing?"

Roth sighed depressingly, "Better than I do."

"Maybe you could learn a thing or two from him."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Who honestly knows? Either way, he has more important things to handle with the Diamond Compass and all." Roth watched as Loretta returned from outside the gate.

Loretta shook her head, "Nothing. This isn't good, is it?"

"They're up to something. I know it." Herobrine said and went out beyond the gate next. When he stepped out onto the sand and looked out over the sand sea, he hurt murmurs. They were distant and in a panic. They _were_up to something, but what?

Loretta stood by and worriedly watched Herobrine disappear into the desert, "What the hell is he doing? If they _are_out there then he's gonna get himself killed. Just think about that self-esteem boost that the rebels would need."

Suddenly Herobrine came marching back into the city, his sword in hand with blood on one side. He stood in front of the army and pointed back out the gate, "They're there. They're attacking."

Roth and Loretta stared at him.

"Attack!" Herobrine shouted louder.

The knights began charging from the streets out into the desert. Roth, Herobrine, and Loretta followed behind to help out. While at first the rebels weren't to be seen, their army was eventually found at the bottom of a large dune that they had formed themselves to act as cover. Once their cover was blown, they began fighting back.

Roth charged right through the knights to try and get a good glimpse at how many rebels there were. Once he got towards the front, he tripped over a knight's leg and fell forward. He slid down the large dune and directly into the enemy's area. They were too busy worrying about the massive army of imperial knights to notice Roth. He got right up and out of the way.

Herobrine went around the left and slaughtered at least a dozen rebels on the spot. When he saw Roth fall forward and down the dune, he immediately charge further into the enemy's camp and sent several more rebels down. Once he reached Roth, he turned back around and the two went back towards their army.

Loretta went around the right and joined in on the fights that several knights were partaking in. She was able to steal multiple weapons from rebels, which was something she was known for doing – her skills with multiple weapons was impeccable. She was capable of wielding four spears and attacking with them in fluid motions.

As Roth followed Herobrine back towards their army, he felt some sort of blade cut his cut. It wasn't severe but still strong enough to notice. He turned around and saw a green haired rebel charge at him. She had knives in between all her fingers and was tossing them at Roth like they were sticks. Roth was able to dodge most of them and get out into a clearer area while the rebel threw her last knife.

"Well, what do we have here?" Roth panted, leaning on his sword slightly as it stuck deeper in the sand, "You seem nice. Do you happen to know where the leader of this forsaken force is? I'd like to take care of them personally."

The girl smiled, "You're looking at her."

"Please, I'm not joking." Roth playfully denied.

"My name is MajesticQ and I will kill you, Roth." The female said in a seductive tone before pulling out more knives from the back of her dark leather armor. She began sending them through the air while Roth simply stepped aside, dodging all of them. He then grabbed his sword and swung it towards MajesticQ, but she pulled out one last knife, sidestepped, and stuck it into the hand that Roth used to hold the sword.

Roth fell over, his hand bleeding and his sword now in MajesticQ's possession, "Goddamn it! Ah! Help!" He cried and watched as MajesticQ raised the sword like she was going to stab it into the ground.

"Roth! Why can't you ever defend yourself anymore?" Herobrine shouted and jumped in front of MajesticQ. He disarmed the female rebel and kicked her onto the ground. She pushed herself back onto her feet and tried to stab a knife into Herobrine but he grabbed the tip with his index and middle finger.  
>With ease, he pulled the knife away and sent it into MajesticQ's arm.<p>

MajesticQ stepped back with blood running down her arm, "So you're Herobrine? I heard rumors that you were back in society. Didn't expect them to be true. Either way, you are a disappointing opponent. At least with this scumbag here," she pointed at Roth, whose bleeding hand had gone stiff, "Was capable of putting up an even match."

Herobrine pressed the tip of his sword on MajesticQ's throat, "There's no fairness when lives are on the line. Roth was simply doing the wise thing and not allowing you to hurt any of the innocent."

"I see. Coward." MajesticQ kneed Herobrine's sword just enough so that she could roll aside and disappear behind another massive dune.

With the female gone, Herobrine turned back to Roth, whose tears were now dry but he was still suffering immense pain, "Just hope she didn't puncture a vital vein. Come on, the battle is winding down. We need to get you some medical attention before you lose too much blood." He hoisted Roth onto his shoulder and began rushing back towards Imperial City.

The battle that looked like it would last hours was over in less than half. The desert was littered with the dead bodies of knights and rebels. In the end, it seemed that the majority of the knights remained while the rebels had diminished to less than 1/3 of what they started off with. It was a glorious victory.

"Herobrine!" Loretta called from beside the gate, "What happened? Is Roth alright?"

"He got into a fight with a strange rebel," Herobrine hurried past Loretta into the city, "He needs medical attention, so if you'll excuse me."

Herobrine began running down the main street towards the castle where he saw Bastil seated on the steps with bottles of mead beside him. Some had cracked and shattered while others were still full. He had one in his hand was chugging it almost constantly.

"Your honor!" Herobrine shouted, "What is the meaning of this? We're fighting against the enemy and you're drinking to your heart's content?"

Bastil shook his head, "I'm not your moderator so don't call me 'your honor.' Sooner or later I'll die and this city will be better off."

"What? What're you talking about?" Herobrine asked, stepping around the bottles of mead and wine. He looked up at a large group of medics who had just exited from the castle. He handed Roth over to them and turned back towards the city. Without any words he descended the stairs and headed to help clean up after the battle.

The doctors loaded Roth onto a stretcher and prepared to carry him back into the building when he raised the hand opposite of the injured one. "Leave me." He uttered through pain.

"You're hurt. We must take care of-" A doctor began.

"I feel fine," Roth said and waved for the doctors to leave, "Other knights need your help. Help them. Leave me here."

"But-"

Roth coughed, "Leave me. I want to look at the sky."

"What?"

"I just wanna look at the sky is all." Roth said with tears in his eyes.

The doctors had no idea what to make of Roth's sudden actions. To not frustrate the injured soldier anymore, they set him back down and walked to the gate to assist in the wounded knights.

"Yes, look at the sky…" Roth said to himself while slowly drifting to sleep.

* * *

><p>Once Garfunkel was on the floor in the college, Burnley gave no mercy and delivered kick after kick to the elderly man's upper body and legs. Soon it seemed Garfunkel wouldn't make it out since he couldn't even stand up. Eventually he passed out from pain. When he woke up, he looked against the wall and saw Burnley with the shotgun in his mouth.<p>

"Don't, Master-"

"Shut the fuck up," Burnley said, pulling the barrel out of his mouth, "You didn't give a damn before. Why should you now?"

Garfunkel pushed himself up a bit, "Because I've endured things that you would never expect. This is not the first time that I've looked death in the eye. I know you have made mistakes – I have too – but ending it all rather than amending such mistakes is foolish."

Burnley lay the gun beside him, "You lie."

"All life is valuable, Master Burnley." Garfunkel said and lay back down.

The light that had shone through the windows earlier was now gone as the sun began to set. The floating dust particles were gone and all that was left to give off light were the few torches that were left lit. Garfunkel counted them all through his pain.

"Maybe you're right," Burnley said, looking down at the floor, "Maybe all life is valuable. At least that's what Exile told me and he was the go-to guy on that sort of thing. He told me that life was something that not everybody had and was actually a rare commodity. I thought he was full of bullshit but… Looking back on it now, he seems to have been right. Whatever he meant, I think he was right. I… I wanted to kill you Garfunkel. I can't believe I was about to do that and only because you were the most vulnerable! Those rebels… Sure, I was a part of them but now I see why they are the true enemy. No mercy; no love; no life. Exile told me that while life was important, not everyone got it. Maybe he meant himself, you know? It's a possibility. Maybe he's right."

Garfunkel nodded and drifted back into a slumber.

Burnley looked up at a bright torch that was left on the wall across from him, "Life _is_ valuable, including mine."


	23. 2 8 Occam's Razor

**Mostly a filler chapter. However, it does aid in developing Sabre_Mace's personality and his thoughts on death.**

**I do not own Minecraft. Review if you like what you see.**

* * *

><p>Light seemed like a figment of his imagination as Sabre_Mace traveled through the freezing hillside of Skyward Mountain. Clouds completely blocked the sun and made his journey more difficult due to lack of light to guide him. He had only those around him to help be his guides. SunRose wasn't much of a leader and this new guy looked to be too old to do anything important.<p>

"Just down this path here," the old man said, pointing to a rocky slope that led down to a cave in the side of the mountain, "My daughter is just down here. Hurry now. We can't waste time."  
><em><br>Of course we can't_, SunRose thought to herself. They were supposed to go and find the Diamond Compass, not get distracted and help people who can help themselves! They couldn't even find their way in the midst of their foggy surroundings.

A large pack of wolves sprinted forward, past the trio. They stopped and could see the radiant eyes of the animals as they stopped to stare back. _Right, forgot that they could lead us,_Sabre_Mace though and stayed close to SunRose once they started to descend upon the hillside.

Supposedly they were still quite a ways from the opposite side of the mountain. The hillside they were on now was just leading to the inner canyon that divided Skyward Mountain from north and south. Sabre_Mace would look across the sky and through the fog to try and see the canyon but only saw more darkness. Was the House of the Holy Sun in the canyon? Perhaps. But there were other matters to handle at the time.

As the trio arrived at the cave, they could hear something. It sounded faint and rather morbid, giving off a ghostly echo. SunRose nearly shrieked at the sound but controlled herself, clinging onto Sabre_Mace. The old man walked into the cave and lit a few torches. It was a fairly small cave with a fire, a box in front of the fire, and young girl wrapped in a blanket on the box. The wolves ran to the girl and began to huddle around here. She was fast asleep.

"She's your daughter?" Sabre_Mace asked as he walked into the extremely warm cave. He had to take off his dirty blazer just to adapt to the new environment.

The old man smiled, taking off his brown furry jacket and setting it on top of the girl. He was bald with a gray goatee. He sat down in front of the fire and began to warm himself up, "Yes. That's my daughter. Her name is Iris."

"That's a pretty name." SunRose commented, sitting beside the old man.

"Thank you. She doesn't look to be sick, but her sight has only gotten worse by the day. When she was young, we would travel all over to spread the love of the flowers after her mother passed away from gunpowder poisoning. At one point we were attacked by several mobs and were forced to hide in a cave similar to this one for what seemed like ages. Somehow, at that point I believe, she began to lose her sight. Over the years I've been researching what it could possibly be but couldn't learn anything."

Sabre_Mace sat down beside the old man, setting his diamond sword aside, "That sounds absolutely terrible."

The old man continued, "It began to seem like she wouldn't be able to survive due to her loss of sight. Finally, we met a man. He was a young man, older than you by maybe only a few years, that carried a large sword. He told us of a heavenly place called New Victoria where we could get the proper medical attention. We've been trying to get there but getting her up this dreaded mountain alone is the greatest ordeal I've ever had to endure. These wolves have stuck with us for a long time and finally found you fellows. Thank heavens that you were here when we needed you."

"The flowers… You're a believer in the Flower Zodiac?" Sabre_Mace said.

"You know of it?" The old man asked, surprised.

Iris began to stir in her sleep.

Sabre_Mace chuckled, tossing pebbles into the fire, "I'm actually a follower of it myself. I've had some rough experiences recently that have opened me up to the beauty of the world. Does that make sense?"

"Absolutely. Everyone has their own reasons for things," the man said, putting his hand on Iris' forehead, "I have mine. The Flower Zodiac opens up to those who are often travelling. Iris and I have been travelling for years and the beauty of nature and reality has really given us the opportunity to look inside ourselves at who we really are."

That was a better explanation of the Flower Zodiac than Sabre_Mace could ever give. He would've tried to describe it as his connection to the real world or the essence of a non-realistic life form, but that wouldn't be entirely true. What the old man had said summed up Sabre_Mace's thoughts perfectly.

Sabre_Mace looked into the fire, watching the wood feed the appetite of the flames, "If you don't mind me asking, what is your name?"

The old man looked over at Iris, "Call me Lloyd."

"Lloyd it is then." Sabre_Mace said.

The hours flew by and slowly the trio had fallen asleep beside Iris.

* * *

><p>A few hours later Sabre_Mace and SunRose were standing outside the cave, looking ready for some trip. They scanned the hillside and stared out into the horizon where a sea of clouds blotted out all possible light from the sun. No wonder it was called Skyward Mountain – there was nothing but clouds towards the top.<p>

"I wonder if New Victoria is any different." Sabre_Mace wondered aloud.

"Probably not. We've travelled up a decent distance of the mountain and the environment hasn't changed in the slightest. It'll probably be just as miserable as we are right now." SunRose said.

"You're miserable? Why? We're not alone anymore."

SunRose didn't respond. She simply looked back into the cave where Lloyd was walking Iris out into the open. She was wrapped up in several jackets, looking to be completely immune to the cold at this point. The little girl looked up at Sabre_Mace, who just smiled and waved.

"These kind people are gonna help us out," Lloyd said, "Their names are Sabre_Mace and SunRose."

Iris just stared. She looked incredibly dazed.

"Is this an effect of her blindness?" SunRose asked.

"Possibly. She's definitely been acting quiet recently. I'm worried that her sight might be going in and out. One minute she might see and the next…" He stopped and looked down at his daughter. He grabbed her hand and looked at a barely visible trail off to the left side.

Sabre_Mace stepped onto the trail and watched it lead across the side of the mountain until finally ascending toward the peak, "This is the path to New Victoria? If you already knew the route, why did you need our help?"

"You must understand that Anascentia is corrupted with mobs, left and right," Lloyd explained himself while the quartet began to walk along the path, "I would never be able to keep Iris unscathed all the way to New Victoria. We'd both be dead in a heartbeat."

SunRose looked down at Iris, who looked blankly ahead, "Does she talk at all?"

"She does, it's just that she doesn't trust too many people now. She can't see 'em and all, so she doesn't really understand how to interact with them," Lloyd stopped and kneeled down to his daughter, "Sweetie, can you say hi to our friends here?"

Iris stared blankly into her father's eyes.

"Please?"

She walked past him.

Lloyd stood back up and shrugged to Sabre_Mace, "See? Nothing."

"Well, as long as it doesn't prevent us from reaching the city then we'll be okay. Hopefully she'll have opened up to us by then." Sabre_Mace said and continued onwards.

The snow began to pick up as the group reached the eventual incline of the path. They hung their heads and dimmed their eyes before beginning up the rough path. The growls and hisses of various mobs in the surrounding area always gave them a good startle. However, it was when they reached flat land that they began to feel threatened.

Iris sat down on the ground.

"What now?" SunRose was beginning to become annoyed by the child's attitude.

Lloyd kneeled down and looked Iris in the eyes, "She doesn't want us to go any further. There must be mobs or something."

"Wait, you can tell what she's thinking by just looking into her eyes?" Sabre_Mace was intrigued. He kneeled down and looked into Iris' eyes as well. She didn't bother to look back at him.

"I've had to learn to read her thoughts by her actions since she barely speaks anymore. It can be difficult sometimes but that look in hers eyes is the most common. She is always aware when there is a looming threat." Lloyd looked around through the blizzard. Vague rays of light shone through the clouds, giving the terrain and strange, gray look.

Sabre_Mace walked down the path a bit and then stopped, "I don't see anything but the path. Is she reading mobs farther up ahead?"

Iris shook her head.

"She reacted to me!" Sabre_Mace shouted excitedly, "She actually responded to me in some way!"

SunRose slapped Sabre_Mace, "Shut the hell up. If Iris thinks that there are mobs up ahead then we don't want to let them know that we're here."

"Why not? I can take 'em. If I was able to defeat Exile and Echo then I can handle this with ease." Sabre_Mace boasted, taking out his sword and swinging it around wildly.

"You'll die." Iris said with a soft and innocent voice.

The other three looked at her in disbelief. Has she actually just spoken?

"Excuse me?" Sabre_Mace said.

"The mobs here are more hostile because of the environment. If you dare face them then you can kiss your life good-bye," Iris said and stood up, "It would be best for you to find a path around them instead of through them. There are a million ways to reach New Victoria. We don't necessarily have to take this one."

While it wasn't the kind of plan he would have gone with, Sabre_Mace didn't dare argue with her. She seemed to know the mountain better than him. If he tried to get his way, he would probably just get ignored again. Sabre_Mace and SunRose decided to act upon Iris' idea and began scouting the nearby area for possible routes.

The problem was that everything was out in the open. Taking any route would only result in the same risks as taking the main path. What Iris said was true – there were armies of mobs covering the land. They all looked ferocious and deprived of proper health.

Then a thought ran through Sabre_Mace's mind. He had never had a true encounter with these dangerous mobs. The only time he really remembered seeing mobs was back in Imperial City and they were stable. These were deadly and demonic. How would he be able to handle this, knowing that he had no idea what he was doing?

After half an hour of searching, the two returned to the top of the hill where Iris was surrounded by the wolves. Lloyd was sitting on the ground next to her, shivering slightly from the cold, "Find anything?"

"Either way we'll have a fight on our hands." Sabre_Mace said.

Iris sneezed.

"Hopefully she isn't sick." SunRose said and kneeled beside Iris, feeling her forehead for a fever.

"Hopefully? We're in the middle of a goddamn blizzard. I'd be surprised if we all got out of here in perfect health," Sabre_Mace said and looked to Lloyd,  
>"So if you are willing to keep a safe distance behind me, I can handle the mobs. That way we can safely get to New Victoria. Sound like a plan?"<p>

Iris sneezed again.

Lloyd pulled Iris to her feet, "Sounds good to me. We'd better hurry, though. Iris can't suffer from this type of weather for too long. This blizzard won't be ending any time soon."

"Just don't die, Sabre_Mace." SunRose warned.

Sabre_Mace rolled his eyes and led the way down the path.

The hisses and growls of the wild mobs frightened Iris the closer they got to them. Eventually they stopped altogether at the start of a mostly flat field covered in snow and ash. Obviously creepers were present.

"Alright," Sabre_Mace gripped his sword tight and stepped forward slowly, "I'm going in. Keep your distance. If the group becomes too much to handle, retreat. I'll make it back on my own if it comes to that."

Lloyd nodded and brought Iris and SunRose back a bit. They got down on their stomachs and looked on as Sabre_Mace trekked across the plain ever so slowly. The diamond sword in his hand trembled quite excessively the closer he got to the middle of the expansive field.

Then he felt something fall onto his neck.

Sabre_Mace jumped forward, shrieking and swiping his sword horizontally in a frenzy. He looked back and noticed it was just snow – the same snow that had been falling on him for the past few hours. He caught his breath and began to relax a bit more. He finally began to adapt to the feeling of loneliness in such a barren location.

Then he felt something fall onto his neck.

He screamed again, throwing his sword aside and falling forward into the snow. His face began to go numb as he wiped it off his face. He looked all around and noticed SunRose off in the distance, shaking her head in disapproval.

"It's snow!" She shouted angrily, "Don't get scared of snow!"

Sabre_Mace nodded and stood back up. He picked up his sword and continued forward. More snow fell on his neck but he knew to control his fright. He walked, leaving small footsteps behind him.

Eventually he found footprints much larger than his.

"Alright, let's do this." He muttered and gripped his sword with both hands. He looked all around carefully, pointing his sword in front of him. After comforting himself for a few seconds, he dashed forward. He kept running until he reached the end of the field. Then he turned around and ran to the opposite side, hoping to find a trace of the mobs besides the footprints.

Then an entire pile of snow flew over him.

Sabre_Mace fell forward again, the snow completely covering his body. He was able to slowly wiggle his way out and then push the rest off. As he stood up, he noticed a gaping hole in the middle of the field where he was just standing. Below it was darkness.

And hisses.

And growls.

Creepers. Plenty of them.

"Are you kidding me?" Sabre_Mace groaned and leaned over the hole to see if he could get a better look at them. They were definitely there though how many there were was a mystery. They all looked up at Sabre_Mace, hissing with that look in the eye that just screams 'I'm gonna get you.'

Snow began to fall into the hole. The creepers dispersed all over the underground, eventually to the point where Sabre_Mace couldn't even hear their hisses and screams anymore. This was his chance.

He dangled his legs in the hole first before dropping the rest of himself into the darkness. Once he felt the hard dirt underneath his feet, he became aware of his surroundings and began preparing to fight. From the bottom there was definitely more light although it was still limited. He could make out two hallways going in opposite directions. One had creepers, the other as well. Whichever one he chose, the creepers from the other one would block him in and that would be the end of it. _There must be a logical way around this_, Sabre_Mace thought.

He stood against the dirt wall behind him, trying to determine the best solution to eliminating the creeper threat. Just as he was preparing to head further into the dark underground, he felt a small wave of dirt fly against his neck. He turned around and looked up to see SunRose standing over him,  
>"What're you doing? Just go and kill them already!"<p>

"Ya know, they're all underground. Why couldn't we have just walked over them with no problem?" Sabre_Mace pondered as SunRose dropped herself into the hole.

"Do you remember how one creeper exploded and sent all that snow on top of you? They would have done the same thing, except more than just one of them. We would all be dead if we just crossed without dealing with these guys first." SunRose looked down the hallway to the right.

Sabre_Mace looked at his sword and then at his dirty blazer, "And we actually have to kill them?"

"How else would we stop them?"

"I dunno. A good beating might suffice." Sabre_Mace leaned against the wall again.

SunRose looked at him, "Are you alright? You aren't really the kind of person to talk like that."

"It's just that I don't think everything has to die," Sabre_Mace sheathed his sword, "They've done nothing. Hell, they were here first! Why bother killing them for no reason? If we do, then we're the threat."

"I, uh…" SunRose stood there, dumbfounded. She knew he had raised a good point. She just wanted to counter it somehow to feel superior for once.  
>Snow was beginning to pile up in the hole. Sabre_Mace stepped all over it, leaving several dozen footprints, "I'm sure if we just crossed normally then everything would be fine."<p>

"It's still dangerous." SunRose said.

"Who gives a shit anymore?" Sabre_Mace replied, climbing up the wall.

"Wait!" A booming voice echoed from down the left hall.

Sabre_Mace stopped and looked back, "What was that?"

SunRose shrugged and stepped up to the hallway, "Hello?"

Nothing.

"Whatever." Sabre_Mace continued climbing.

"I said wait!" The voice shouted again, "Come closer."

"Why?" SunRose asked, "Who are you?"

Sabre_Mace dropped down, "Damn it. A lot tougher than I thought."  
><em><br>Hiss._

The two turned to the right hallway in time to notice a large group of creepers marching towards them, their eyes shining greatly with pleasure.

"Damn it!" Sabre_Mace shouted, grabbing SunRose's hand, "We have to get outta here now!"

"Come closer," The voice shouted again, "I desire your presence."

The duo continually attempted to climb up the wall to the surface but repeatedly failed, falling onto their bottoms in the hole. After the third time, they turned to the group of creepers who were merely standing at the entrance of hall, staring them down.

"They're gonna kill us," SunRose was whimpering, "Just you wait."

"I don't wanna wait!" Sabre_Mace said, sliding back against the wall, "If they're gonna kill me then do it now!"

"I said come closer!" The voice shouted angrily.

Sabre_Mace and SunRose looked at each other with fear before standing up and looking down the hallway. As soon as they stepped into it, the group of creepers followed them, keeping them from leaving.

"We're gonna die, I just know it." Sabre_Mace was about to cry.

"You're never this emotional." SunRose said through her stiffness.

"Shut it." Sabre_Mace snapped back, holding back his tears.

The hallway continued on for a few more meters before ending at wooden double doors. Sabre_Mace pushed them and entered into the nicely lit room on the other side. A finely crafted bed made of gold with a red blanket was situated against the wall directly across from the door. A fireplace was built into the brick wall to the left. A small wooden table was placed in the very middle of the room with only one chair around it. In that chair was a pale man with long, flowing red hair hanging across his back.

The man stared at Sabre_Mace with a hilarious smile, "Did I scare you?"

"Sort of." SunRose admitted.

The man chuckled and stood up to properly greet them, "Well, I greatly apologize. Seldom do I get the chance to meet actual users. No one ever crosses the mountains here. Going to New Victoria, I reckon?"

Sabre_Mace nodded.

"Well, you're doing it wrong," The man laughed wickedly before leading the duo over to a crafting table beside the fireplace, "Crafting is the very essence of Anascentia. Many will say that essence is just a myth but I know that to be a myth in itself."

"What the hell are you saying?" Sabre_Mace bluntly said.

The man looked over, holding a golden pick axe in his hand, "Excuse me?"

"Nothing." Sabre_Mace shook his head.

The man nodded slowly, staring at Sabre_Mace with his eyebrows furrowed, "You can call me Rodney. That's what you were thinking about, wasn't it? I'm right, aren't I?"

"Sure, whatever," SunRose interrupted, "My name is SunRose and he's Sabre_Mace. Look, we're trying to help a little girl that is going blind get the medical attention she needs. Can you please let us leave?"

Rodney laughed wickedly again, "No."

"What? Why not?" Sabre_Mace was becoming gradually annoyed.

The red haired stranger crafted another golden pickaxe, "Because anyone who dares to try to kill my loved ones are those destined for a premature fate."

SunRose rolled her eyes, "You make no sense. We need to get going. Like, right now."

"But I can't let you," Rodney threw the two golden pickaxes into a nearby chest, "You were here to kill the creepers, correct?"

"Yeah. And?" SunRose began to walk towards the door where the creepers continued to stare.

"What have they done to you?" Rodney politely asked.

Sabre_Mace smirked, "Told you."

"Hm?" Rodney looked over at him.

"I told SunRose here that we don't have to worry about the creepers but she insisted we kill them. Ain't that right, SunRose?" Sabre_Mace began to laugh slightly.

SunRose froze.

Rodney began to laugh along with Sabre_Mace.

"What's so funny?" SunRose became incredibly irritated.

"Nothing." Rodney and Sabre_Mace said in unison.

The trio went into a random silence before Rodney walked back to his table, "Sorry, I was just getting another golden pickaxe in. Gotta make sure I can get out safely in case this cave I dug caves in."

"You dug all this?" Sabre_Mace was impressed.

"Hell yes. Found a group of poor mobs out here in the midst of my travels and decided to do the right thing and give them the love that's been absent from their lives. Whenever someone comes along with the plan of killing any one of them, I always bring them into my casa and we have a little 'talk.' Since you guys were about to kill my creepers, I believe it's time we talked." Rodney sat down, grabbing a steel cup of water from the table.

SunRose groaned and leaned against the wall next to the door, "This is stupid. We need to get going, Sabre_Mace!"

Sabre_Mace sat down on the bed, "Come on, SunRose. Have the talk."

"Well, not _that_talk," Rodney laughed, "but anyway…"

Another random silence.

"Yeah, anyway, why did you think that killing the creepers would get you to New Victoria safely?" Rodney asked in a suddenly serious tone.

"We would've died otherwise!" SunRose shouted, "Well, could've anyway…"

Rodney sipped his water, "Not all creepers are hostile. You think of your plan as an Occam's razor when it is a mere misunderstanding. Understand life before you take it away from someone innocent."

"Occam's razor?" Sabre_Mace echoed.

"Never heard of it before?"

Sabre_Mace shook his head.

"Well, think of it as the belief that many religious followers believe in," Rodney began, "It's sort of used to describe something that a person thinks to be the absolute way. SunRose here apparently thought that killing them would be the absolute way and look where it landed her? At the hands of me, Rodney, protector of the creepers."

"But it was Sabre_Mace's idea to take them head on in the first place!" SunRose raised her voice.

Rodney looked over, "Was it?"

Sabre_Mace looked down, "Maybe."

"Well, you changed your mind before actually committing the deed. No one was killed and that's good," Rodney exclaimed happily, "Now then, do we understand how all life is valuable?"

SunRose nodded, unsure if she wanted to take Rodney seriously.

"Good. Then get the hell out." Rodney said as the creepers retreated, allowing Sabre_Mace and SunRose to leave.

SunRose marched right out the door, not bothering to wait for Sabre_Mace.

Rodney looked over at Sabre_Mace, who was sitting on the bed silently, "Is something the matter, Sabre_Mace? You look deep in thought about something."

"Maybe," Sabre_Mace continued to think, "I'm not sure."

"Well, it was good talking to you. Have a good day." Rodney said and walked back to his crafting table.

Sabre_Mace stood up, "Rodney?"

Rodney looked up from the table, "Hm?"

"Let's just say, for some reason, there are these bad people," Sabre_Mace sounded solemn, "And you've been told by many other people that these bad people need to die. Would you call that an Occam's razor?"

Rodney looked at Sabre_Mace curiously, "Depends. Have any more detail?"

Sabre_Mace looked to the door, "I've been… given a mission. A task to carry out. A task that involves preventing a pointless end. Yet to carry out the mission I must pointlessly kill the innocent and unlucky who have been cursed with such misfortune. Is it an Occam's razor then? I absolutely have to kill them, so that makes it one, right?"

"Intriguing," Rodney put his hand on Sabre_Mace's shoulder, "That is quite an Occam's razor. This mission, though… who gave it to you? If such an important task that puts the fate of the world in your hands is given to you, who is the almighty power that established such an objective?"  
>Sabre_Mace smiled and looked upwards, "I'm honestly not sure."<p>

"Really, eh? Spoken to by Notch himself?" Rodney asked jokingly.

"No," Sabre_Mace began walking to the door, "Not at all. The very people who created this world gave me the mission. The mission was not given to me by any gods or malevolent beings. Merely, it was given to me by people like you and I. They gave me this Occam's razor in a world that is more insignificant than you can imagine."

Rodney was speechless.

"Thanks for listening," Sabre_Mace said, "I'll be sure to not harm the creepers."


	24. 2 9 The Downward Spiral

**Here I am, back from the dead (supposedly)!**

**Chaos Theory is now up and I plan to update it after every chapter or two of The Diamond Compass. Be sure to check that out if you are interested in some backstory to The Diamond Compass (or at least Herobrine and Chaos).**

**As for this chapter, it will probably confuse some people. It definitely takes some sick twists and turns so don't feel bad if you don't understand.**

**Other than that, I do not own Minecraft. Review if you like what you see.**

* * *

><p>They had each other.<p>

"Where are we now?" Serenade asked, shaking and quiet.

"Safe." Frank affirmed and began walking away.

Serenade began to feel uneasy as Frank's presence began to fade the farther into the room he went, "Wait, don't leave me alone here!'

A bright radiance appeared, filling the room with incredible light. Frank stood over by a torch, looking back at Serenade with a smile. The room they were in was complete stone with only one passage going ahead across from the entrance.

The two began walking down the hall, not speaking a word to each other until an intersection arrived. Three other halls branched off in different directions. Frank looking down each of them carefully, "Dunno. Each one of them could be important. All we're looking for is the sword, right? Nothin' else?"

"Yeah, that's right. We just want to get the sword and get out." Serenade looked down each hall like Frank despite not really knowing what to look for.

"Well, we have to either pick a hall and hope for the best or split up."

Serenade knew what she wanted instantly. The thought of wandering off alone was enough to send her into emotional distress. She inched closer to Frank, signaling to him that she didn't want to split up. Luckily, Frank caught on quite quickly and walked straight.

As the hallway wound on and on, the abundance of spiders continued to grow. They weren't like their larger mob counterparts; they were the smaller, more normal ones that hung around on their webs. They weren't too common in the wild, but in underground places such as the Bedrock Temple they were possibly the dominant race.

"There are too many spiders here, man," Frank groaned, pulling out his gun and whacking at them anxiously, "We should get rid of 'em first before continuing on. They could be here to kill us, you know."

"That's stupid."

"It's a possibility."

Serenade took into account the fact that they were going after a guarded sword that is supposed to be the strongest weapon in existence. The possibility of the spiders being a hazard, while unlikely, was still out in the open. She grabbed a nearby torch off the wall and began hacking at the spiders and their webs as well.

As the two continued their annihilation of the spiders, the miniscule creatures seemed to be relocating themselves towards the center of the hallway. The webs were gone and many spiders along with them, but the survivors were doing something odd. They huddled around into this black circle and froze completely still.

Frank just stared, "The hell? What is this?"

"Why are you asking me?" Serenade shrugged and stepped closely to the wall, "Come on, they don't seem to be bothering us. Let's get going already."  
>Except Serenade was absolutely wrong.<p>

Once the duo began to sidle their way past the mass of spiders, the creatures dispersed instantaneously, this time huddling around both Frank and Serenade's feet. While they did continue to walk and shake them off, the spiders remained and began crawling up their legs slowly.

"Get them off me!" Frank cried, bashing his shin randomly against the wall.

Serenade walked back to him and began kicking him rapidly, causing many more spiders to fall off to their death. Frank was about to do the same to her before she kicked him again, "Don't you dare kick me."

"Wasn't gonna." Frank said, noticing the spiders continuing to crawl upon Serenade.

"I saw that look in your eye!" Serenade said and looked down to the spiders.

Frank ignored Serenade's wishes and began to hit her leg with the butt of his gun. The spiders began falling off one by one until each one of them was dead.

"What did I just tell you?" Serenade whined.

Frank ignored her again and kept on walking down the hallway. A stronger light source appeared at the far end, giving them hope that they would finally leave the compact spider-infested hall that they had become strangely acquainted to. Alas, they exited out the hall and came to a more spacious area – it was circular with a _very_high ceiling. A pillar was placed in the middle, made of obsidian. Various other hallways fed into the room.

The duo checked each hallway carefully before stepping up to the pillar in the middle. Frank leaned against it casually, "Looks like we chose wisely. However, we'll have to choose again. Go ahead and decide."

Serenade turned around and inspected each hallway with much concern, hoping that she would not mess up and lead both Frank and her to their demise. It would destroy her to watch as Frank was painfully killed by whatever could be lying deep within the temple.

"There." Serenade nervously pointed to the hallway directly across from the one that they had arrived from.

"There? Why that one?" Frank questioned out of curiosity.

"You told me to choose, so I chose. Are you not happy?"

Frank sighed and entered into the hallway slowly, Serenade following behind with her torch still shining bright. Unlike the previous one, this hallway was absent of any other living creatures besides Frank and Serenade. This was a major relief as they were beginning to regret ever stepping into the forsaken temple.

They reached the end of this hallway much quicker than they had expected. A spiral staircase descended downwards into a strong red light. Dark windows were placed at random points along the staircase, completely pitch black on the other side. Frank grabbed Serenade's hand and began their descent.

"This place just gets creepier, I swear." Serenade commented, getting goose bumps with every window she looked into.

Strange enough, she though she saw something. At either the third or fourth window she swore she saw an eye – a dark red eye piercing through the dark. Nothing else, not even an eyelid. She froze for a second and nearly tripped all the way down when Frank pulled her along.

The stairs went on for about five meters, looking to be heading for the bottom of the world eventually. Frank made sure to stay towards the wall when walking down so that the lava at the bottom wouldn't scorch them and sent them into a panic.

This only made Serenade's fear worse. With every window now she would see the same eye, staring at her with no emotion. Well, maybe a little emotion, but something along the lines of lust. With that in mind, she decided to think emotionless as to not get more scared than need be.

"Come on, keep up." Frank urged, letting go of her and continuing down the steps.

Serenade stopped.

Frank turned around, "Serenade?"

She looked like she was about to cry.

"Serenade!"

She began to cry.

Frank ran up to her and held her in his arms, "What the hell's the matter?"

"I…" She couldn't form a full thought all of a sudden, "I feel sad… All of a sudden…"

She continued to wail into Frank's shoulder while he looked around.

Then he saw them too.

The eyes.

"We're not alone." Frank whispered to her.

Just then a bone arm reached out from a nearby window, shaking uncontrollably. The rattling fingers made Serenade scream, her voice echoing throughout the stairwell with great force.

As the voice echoed, moans began to sound from the windows.

"Jesus Christ," Frank pulled Serenade towards the outside of the staircase as long, rattling skeletal arms began to extend from every single window. The eyes behind them stared gleefully, their desires evident with their every action and response, "Serenade, we have to go now!"

Serenade couldn't stop crying and screaming. She fell to her knees while the "things" from behind the windows moaned with pleasure to the sound of her fear.

Frank had had enough.

He grabbed his gun, cocked it, and pointed it inside the window, "Shut it now, you forsaken freaks." He pulled the trigger and heard something like a skull completely obliterate on the other side of the window.

However, the eye remained as did the arm.

Now each hand was making a grabbing motion as if they were inviting someone to come into their "cells". Frank stepped back and pulled Serenade to her feet, "Hurry the hell up, Serenade! We aren't safe here!"

Frank grabbed Serenade's wrist and began descending down the steps at a quick pace. She, however, escaped his grip and began running back up the steps, screaming and crying, only feeding the pleasure of the bizarre beings from behind the windows.

"Serenade!" Frank cried, contemplating whether to go after her or get to the bottom of the stairs, "Goddamn it!" He began running downwards just as the beings began to chant with an exotic tone in their voices.  
><em><br>Come to us, pretty lady,_they would say, reaching for Serenade.

Serenade only screamed, continuing to run without considering following Frank.  
><em><br>Come to us, serve us well_.

Frank stopped suddenly and looked up the opening at the center of the staircase to see how high up Serenade was. She was nearly at the top,  
>"Serenade!" He was on the verge of tears, which was unusual for this personality of his, "Please don't die!"<br>_  
>Serve us here in the Castle of Insanity.<em>

Serenade could feel the skeletal hands stroking her skin softly and seductively.  
><em><br>Be our poison, pleasure us so._

Frank had finally reached the bottom, his entire body shaking from anxiety. Not only were they surrounded by prisoners who wanted Serenade's body, but Serenade was in more danger than ever. He stopped and looked back up at Serenade as she was just about to reach the very top.

Then she was pushed over by a hand.

Her screams nearly deafened Frank.  
><em><br>Yes, pleasure us!_The prisoners moaned as Serenade shrieked.

Frank began shaking uncontrollably, holding out his arms.  
><em><br>Serve us well, beautiful mortal_. The prisoners were cackling wildly.

"Don't die on me, Serenade!" Frank cried.

Serenade continued to plummet downwards.

Frank was about ready to shoot himself from the pressure. Serenade's life was on the line and he wasn't sure if he was able to save her. His tears were unusual as he had never felt them like this before. He only looked up as his angel continued to plummet from above.

Then she landed in his arms gracefully, deprived of emotion in her face.

"Oh dear," Frank smiled and hugged Serenade, "Thank god…"

"Frank…" Serenade trailed off before passing out.

Silence filled the stairwell. Each of the prisoners was now without pleasure and Frank was glad about this. He turned to the hallway at the bottom of the steps and noticed a great door at the very end. It was wooden with a dragon drawn onto it.

Slowly and with grace, he stepped towards the door, glancing down at Serenade's face every minute or so to see if she was still breathing. Luckily she was and that was the only motivation Frank needed to continue onwards.

The doors flew open slowly and revealed the largest room of all – it was similar to the front of the temple as it was a lake of lava with a smooth stone bridge connecting one side to another. However, this time it was a smooth stone bridge leading to a floating island in the center of the room. There, on the island, was a magnificent blade made of pure obsidian with red lines running through intricate patterns. A hilt made of hold shined glamorously with a magnificent purple gem placed at the end of the blade.

It was the Obsidian Magma Blade.

It was Astaroth's Bane.

It was the key to saving the world.

Frank approached the island and set Serenade down carefully on the steps leading up to the sword. He was in awe at the sight of such an incredibly crafted weapon – never before had he seen such perfection in person. He looked down to Serenade, who was drifting in and out of consciousness,  
>"Serenade, we found it! Get up so that we can get out of here!"<p>

"I'm afraid it's not that simple." A voice boomed from behind Frank.

At the door where he had just entered, Frank noticed Tripwire enter the room, looking unscathed from the battle outside. He smirked and approached the island slowly. Frank sighed with relief.

"Well, it's good to know that you survived." Frank chuckled.

Tripwire just kept walking.

Frank sighed and looked down to Serenade again, "Come on, let's go!"

"She's been poisoned, I'm afraid."

Frank froze and looked to Tripwire, "What?"

"Those spiders that you thought nothing of," Tripwire walked past Frank and placed his hand on the hilt of the blade, "They are the ones that will bring Serenade's life to a close.

"What the hell? There's no cure?" Frank got down on his knees and looked into Serenade's half-opened eyes.

Tripwire looked down before removing the sword swiftly and pointing it towards Frank, "I guess it's time that I tell you the true purpose of this bedrock temple… This Castle of Insanity."

Frank looked up with confusion, "What… Is going on?"

"Frank, Serenade has been the first female in a long time to traverse these halls. This sent the prisoners of this isolated world into a frenzy. You see, this place is merely a trap for the male barbarians of the past to enjoy themselves on the bodies of those poor and beautiful women who happen to be found in here. The spiders were merely the start of her suffering," Tripwire smiled, "That's why you were not affected."

"You're sick," Frank backed up and pulled out his gun, "I can't believe I took sides with you, you lusting son of a bitch! What's the point of it all? Tradition? Is that it? You just want to drive us insane?"

Tripwire nodded, "Precisely. Those halls that you were given the choice of travelling down… They all led to the same place. You weren't simple minded, though, and were able to avoid the confusion of finding your way here. Now that you have, you only have to do one last thing before taking the sword."

Frank cocked his gun.

"You must kill me, Frank." Tripwire said.

"With pleasure." Frank pointed his gun at Tripwire and pulled the trigger, sending a bullet sailing through the air almost invisibly.

However, Tripwire was much more agile than initially expected and rolled out of the way. Once he got back to his feet he dashed forward and vertically struck Astaroths' Bane at Frank, who was able to block it with his gun. With barely enough strength he cocked it again and pushed off, back flipping close to the edge of the island and shooting another bullet.

Tripwire rolled underneath it, preparing to stab the sword at Frank. He, however, jumped onto Tripwire's back as he was rolling and leaped off towards the inner island. Before Tripwire could react, a bullet dug into his left shoulder which was luckily not the one wielding the sword.

As Tripwire staggered, Frank cocked his gun again and pointed it at his foe's head, "Tell me why you did this. Why you lied to us!"

"Let's just put it this way," Tripwire smirked, "I shouldn't be alive."

Astaroth's Bane struck horizontally at Frank, leaving a large gash in his stomach. Blood spilled out with the pain sending Frank to his knees. He began to try to return to his feet only to fail.

A sharp kick pounded on his stomach, increasing the blood flow from the gash. Tripwire stood above him and prepared one of his laser blasts.

Frank looked up the steps and saw Serenade with her eyes still half-open.

Except she was looking back.

She was slightly smiling.

"Yes, I shouldn't be alive," Tripwire repeated, "Neither should you."

The blast left a massive hole in the island. Frank, however, was able to dodge its intensity and send another bullet into Tripwire's stomach. The blade  
>wielder stepped back in surprise and pain, nearly dropping the sword to the ground.<p>

Frank cocked the gun again, "At least I deserve to be alive, you heartless scum."

The two ran at each other, rolling past one another at the same time. Frank ended up on the bridge between the exit and the island. He prepared his gun for one lucky final shot and watched carefully as Tripwire regained his ground. He smiled and leaped at Frank, smashing the blade into the stone.

Frank slid back, dodging the sword with great distance.

Tripwire leaped again, smashing the sword with even more force.

Frank slid back, unsure if he would ever get the chance to shoot.

Tripwire leaped yet again, smashing the sword with all he had.

Frank did not slide back this time. Instead, he rolled underneath Tripwire and turned around to face Tripwire, his gun pointed at the traitor's head.

Tripwire turned around instantly, dashing at Frank with the sword trailing in the wind behind him.  
><em><br>Bang.  
><em>  
>The sound of the obsidian blade hitting the smooth stone echoed throughout the room despite it being faint and dull. It rested on the ground beside Tripwire's head, blood beginning to drench its hilt. Frank stepped towards it and picked it up, striking it around in the air before looking down at the dead body of Tripwire.<p>

"The last thaumaturgist, eh?" Frank shook his head and turned back towards the island where Serenade sat quietly. He ran to her and picked her up in his arms. He turned towards the exit and began walking carefully there, stepping past Tripwire and the puddle of his blood.

"Frank…" Serenade uttered quietly.

"Don't speak," Frank advised, "We have to find you some help. I won't let you die, Serenade. I swore to protect you and I plan to do just that. So maybe Tripwire was a traitor and we fell for his sick plan. We rebounded for the most part and can still claim victory."

"Frank…" Serenade smiled.

"Let's go claim victory, Serenade," Frank kicked open the exit doors, revealing a set of stairs heading upwards, "Let's go save ourselves."

"Frank…" Serenade whispered before falling back asleep.

Frank nodded and began ascending the steps, "Yeah, I know."


	25. 2 10 The Lavender Iris

**I'm very surprised how fast I got this chapter out. Two in one week? Unheard of!**

**After this chapter there will be four more in this "season" before I may or may not take another break. After that, though, the last "season" begins.**

**The only other thing I should note is that Chaos Theory, the prequel to this story detailing the whole ordeal with Herobrine and Chaos, is now up and running. Just thought I would remind you of its existence. It will be updated after each chapter of The Diamond Compass, so the third entry in that story won't be up before long.**

**If you enjoy what you read be sure to review and leave your thoughts. I do not own Minecraft.**

* * *

><p>For some time Sabre_Mace wished that he had remained in Rodney's little bunker instead of facing the dread of the cold again. It was so incredibly warm in the underground cave of the creeper lover that Sabre_Mace felt, for the first time, safe.<p>

With the lack of light, however, he lost all trains of thought up to that point. Since they left Rodney and continued up the mountain to reach New Victoria they'd never found anything. Every now and then they would blindly rub against one another but that was it.

No mobs.

No lights.

Only each other.

SunRose enjoyed it for the most part, but Sabre_Mace was in a freezing hell.

"How much further?" Sabre_Mace asked, dropping to his knees.

Lloyd was holding Iris over his shoulder since he didn't find it wise to have her walking too much, "You've asked that too much now. It's really getting on my nerves."

"Wow, you alright?" SunRose asked, jokingly kicking Sabre_Mace in the ankle to get him back up, "At first you seemed nice but now you sound like you're losing your mind."

The father sighed, "I apologize then. We're close, that's all I know."

"Getting anxious?" SunRose asked.

"A little, I guess." Lloyd chuckled.

Sabre_Mace stood back up and continued walking, kicking the snow randomly. He could feel the freezing water soak the bottom of his pants, making him shiver constantly at the agonizing feeling, "We'd b-better be almost there. I can't stand this slush anymore."

Lloyd rolled his eyes, "Yeah, I know but-"

He suddenly stopped, stomping his feet on the ground.

"Slush!" He shouted, waking Iris.

"Yeah! Slush!" Sabre_Mace stomped, "It's annoying!"

"No, the slush," Lloyd began walking faster despite the powerful flurry of snow, "If there's slush then that means the snow must be melting. We're  
>almost there, I know for sure now!"<p>

The trio (technically quartet) began running carefully as to not slip on the slush and make the rest of the trip worse for themselves. A massive mountain appeared in the horizon not too far from them. This was the last surge of hope they needed to continue onwards.

Sabre_Mace could see the colossal landmass as it pierced the clouds above magnificently, "Is that it? New Victoria?"

"Sort of," Lloyd was catching his breath, "New Victoria is on top of there."

SunRose nodded understandingly before gasping, "Wait, does that mean that we're at the top of Skyward Mountain now?"

Lloyd nodded.

"So that also means," Sabre_Mace smiled, "That we're at the top of the world?"

Lloyd thought for a second before nodding.

"Ha, take that, Obsidian666," Sabre_Mace said to himself, "Look who's been to the top of the world now. You think you've got me? Think again! I'm something you will never expect! You hear that? That's me running to the city of heaven! That's me-"

"Sabre_Mace!" SunRose shouted.

Sabre_Mace stopped, "Huh?"

"Shut it!"

Rolling his eyes, Sabre_Mace began running again, "You can't tell me what to do."

"Sabre_Mace." Lloyd said.

"Yeah?"

"Shut it."

Thus there was silence.

* * *

><p>When the landscape began to ascend towards the clouds, the hopes of the trio (technically quartet) raised even higher. They felt the snow letting up and began to realize just how warm it was getting. The more they traveled up the last mountain the happier they got.<p>

Sabre_Mace stayed closer to the inside of the path, stroking his hand on the dirt wall to keep himself oriented on where to go. Every now and then he would come across a large rock and stub his toe causing him to curse extensively before walking again and repeating the process.

"Sabre_Mace, I thought I told you to-" SunRose began.

"Yeah, I heard you. Don't preach it." Sabre_Mace pushed off the wall and got closer to SunRose and Lloyd who walked closer to the outside of the path.  
>Iris was still fast asleep on her father's shoulder, looking innocent and young as always.<p>

Her eyelids began to shake, "…Mama…"

"Quiet, girl. Everything is gonna be okay." Lloyd whispered.

"Mama?" Iris awoke, looking around in a daze.

"Hush," Lloyd whispered again, patting his daughter on the back, "Let dreams guide you home, my love. Let dreams guide you home."

Just like that, Iris drifted back into her slumber.

SunRose looked on in awe, "That was incredible!"

Lloyd nodded, "Yes, well… It's the only way to really calm her down. She isn't always the nicest girl, you know. When she wakes up she is stuck in her dream world where she still sees-"

"Her mother?" Sabre_Mace interrupted.

Everyone stopped and looked at each other in silence.

"Yes," Lloyd said solemnly, looking at the clouds above, "Her mother."

Sabre_Mace walked closer to the outer edge of the path, gazing off into the abyss below where he theorized the House of the Holy Sun to be, "Reminds me of dreams I've had before. Dreams where I would be back when everything was nice and happy. When I still knew my parents."

"Your parents?" SunRose looked over at him, "You remember now?"

"Not quite," Sabre_Mace sat down on the edge of the path, letting his legs dangle in the air, "When I was out back there I had a dream. At least I think it was a dream. I remember seeing both my mother and father and…" He recalled the doctor who explained his purpose in Anascentia, "And that's it, I think."

SunRose sat down beside Sabre_Mace, "What were they like?"

Sabre_Mace closed his eyes, "I don't really know."

A strong wind blew over the trio and up the path.

"We should get going," Sabre_Mace stood up and began walking up the mountain, "We're almost there. Let's not waste anymore time."

Lloyd and SunRose agreed, following distantly behind Sabre_Mace.

Iris opened her eyes slightly, "…Mama?"

* * *

><p>Emerging out of the blizzard that covered Skyward Mountain was like getting a breath of fresh air after nearly drowning. Sabre_Mace was the first to step into New Victoria. The first thing he immediately did was look behind him at the sea of clouds that acted like an ocean to this island in the sky. The clouds stretched on for forever on all sides with the sun's great light shining upon the astounding buildings that filled the land.<p>

Shortly after, SunRose and Lloyd stepped past the cobblestone gate and onto New Victoria land. Lloyd put the awoken Iris on her feet and looked around the city, noticing its unique atmosphere. There were no clouds above these buildings whatsoever, giving it a brighter feeling than the other cities of Anascentia. The tall, steel buildings rose high but empty with the lack of a real population. Smaller buildings for apartments and housing were stuck between the sky scrapers, just as abandoned as the rest of the city.

"Is this it?" Sabre_Mace remarked, "This is what I've been waiting for?"

"What exactly were you waiting for?" SunRose asked.

Sabre_Mace began to follow the main path made of stone brick slab, paying close attention to all the types of foliage placed on the living grass, "Life."

"Let's hope this isn't it," Lloyd said, leading Iris further into the city, "I came all this way to help my daughter, not to give up because no one was here. There must be a doctor somewhere!" With that, he ran ahead with Iris in his hand. Sabre_Mace and SunRose didn't even try to stop him.

The duo walked slowly down the primary street that ran straight through the majority of the buildings. They would stop every now and then and point out an interesting piece of architecture such as an arch or a design on a building. Other than that, they found nothing of interest in the abandoned city.

Until they began to hear the noises.

"Did you hear that?" SunRose asked.

Sabre_Mace shook his head, "Nope. Must be your mind. Or disappointment."

"That makes no sense."  
><em><br>Oink._

"Or maybe I just didn't hear it." Sabre_Mace responded, looking around curiously. The sound continued on from a non-specific direction. In fact, more sounds joined in from all around them, echoing off the buildings ominously. It sounded like a choir full of the ghosts of deceased animals.

SunRose looked down the path and noticed Lloyd looking around as if lost. Iris was still following him but at a great distance. He turned and noticed the two friends standing around, doing nothing but listening to the sweet animal sounds.

"Where the hell is the doctor?" Lloyd called out.

Both of them shrugged.

Lloyd rolled his eyes and began pacing around, "Well, some help you guys are."

"Just calm down, will you?" SunRose said as they approached the father, "It will only become more difficult if you act angrily like this. You don't want to set a bad example for Iris either, do you?"

"No, but-"  
><em><br>Oink_.

"Okay, where are those sounds coming from?" Sabre_Mace was becoming more and more annoyed.  
><em><br>Moo_.

Iris laughed, "Cows and pigs?"

"What's so funny?" Lloyd asked.

"Nothing," Iris continued laughing, "How did they get here though?"

SunRose looked at Sabre_Mace, "She raises a good point. What are animals doing here when there is no one else?"

The noises suddenly stopped.

No one spoke a word.

"Someone is here." Iris said, hugging onto her father.

Lloyd turned around and saw a tall, bald man in a black suit with a long, gray beard. He wore a black fedora and black leather gloves. His face screamed isolation and loneliness as he looked incredibly depressed. He approached the group slowly, taking his time. Perhaps there was something wrong with his legs?

The man stopped a meter away from Lloyd and took out a pair of round glasses from his suit. He put them on and looked at Iris with a smile, "Blind, are ya? Came here to fix that, huh?"

Iris nodded, looking in the completely wrong direction.

"Magnificent," The man clapped, "I haven't had a patient in so long."

"I wonder why," Sabre_Mace sarcastically said, stepping beside Lloyd and crossing his arms, "What are you doing up here when there is nobody else?"  
><em><br>Woof!_

"I've always been a part of New Victoria. Ever since it was first established I've been working here as a man of many medical talents. Any operation that needs to be done," He grinned, "I can accomplish such."

All four of them felt uneasy facing this stranger.

"Tell me your name, darling." The man kneeled down to Iris.

Iris waved her hand around in the air, eventually smacking the man's fedora off his head, "Iris."

The man laughed, putting the hat back on and shaking Lloyd's hand, "My name is Victor Blanc. If you are here to adjust your child's sight malfunctions, I'd be more than glad to lead you to my office. That is what you're here to do, right?"

Lloyd nodded, "How much is the operation going to cost?"

Victor smiled, "Nothing."

* * *

><p>The mysterious animal noises from around the city slowly died down as the group followed Dr. Blanc to his office. Where he worked was the tallest building in the city towards the back. It was built over the edge of the mountain with a long bridge made of wooden planks leading to its entrance. The tower rose sixty six stories into the sky and was fittingly called "Heaven's Gate" by Victor himself.<p>

Everything about the building screamed odd, though. Only a few torches were placed in each hall of the building and there weren't enough windows to properly light the place. Looking at it from the front, it looked like a solid block of wood with a few panes of glass sporadically placed all over the place.

Victor explained to the groups ("tourists" as he called them) that each building was once his office until everyone left and everything became unstable. This led to him building Heaven's Gate and ultimately claiming it as "the castle in the sky that watches over the ghosts of New Victoria."

When they reached the top floor, which is where Victor said his office was, they were seated in a waiting room with no chairs. The walls were completely white with a gray floor and strange, exotic paintings on the wall. Dr. Blanc walked behind a door in the corner and didn't come out for quite a while.

"Can we trust him?" SunRose bluntly asked, taking a seat in the middle of the bare room. Sabre_Mace sat down beside her while Iris fell asleep on her father's lap.

Lloyd looked down at his daughter, "He's our only chance."

"How did you hear about this dude?" Sabre_Mace asked.

"Everyone spoke of New Victoria as the place to go to for medical needs since, well, that's what it was rumored to have been built for," Lloyd looked straight at the door, waiting for Victor to come back out, "New Victoria was established as a heaven where anyone in sickness could be cured. I guess it was abandoned and forsaken because of its location."

SunRose slowly caressed Iris' small hand in hers, "I think Roth came from this place, actually."

"Really?" Sabre_Mace was surprised.

"Who?" Lloyd asked.

The glowstone lights on the ceiling went out for a second before coming back on. SunRose leaned back on her arms, "He's a friend who works as a knight in Imperial City. I remember him always talking about this place and such. It's a shame, though. Imagine how he will react when we tell him it's practically died off."

Lloyd nodded, stroking his daughter's hair, "Sounds nice."

There was an odd, ambient silence.

"I don't remember the last friend I actually had. I've only had Iris."

Sabre_Mace looked at Iris' eyelids as they trembled, "We're your friends."

"Barely," Lloyd stopped and looked at the door, "You guys are leaving as soon as this is all over. Once Iris is able to see the beautiful world again you won't be here anymore. You'll only be left in my memory."

"Well, how about this then?" Sabre_Mace began, "When the world is saved and there is no more danger, we'll come back to see you. Iris will be able to see everything and we'll all get together and have a day of fun."

Lloyd chuckled before stopping abruptly and looking at SunRose, "Actually, there was something that I kind of wanted to ask you two."

SunRose leaned forward, "What?"

"Could you possibly," Lloyd looked back down at Iris, "Be Iris' godparents?"

"Excuse me?" Sabre_Mace was shocked at such an odd and random question, "We're a bit young for that task. Plus, we're not, you know…" He looked over at SunRose awkwardly who looked away.

"No, no, don't worry about it. If you don't want to then-"

SunRose patted Lloyd's knee, "We'd love to."

The door opened and Victor Blanc walked out.

"Iris, I will be happy to see you now." Victor smiled wickedly.

Lloyd picked up Iris and carried her into the back.

Before closing the door, Victor looked at Sabre_Mace and SunRose with a strange and sudden grim expression, "The back is off limits." He shut the door instantly.

Sabre_Mace and SunRose sat there, alone but not in silence.  
><em><br>Moo._

* * *

><p>The duo had already decided it all.<p>

They could wait no longer.

The Diamond Compass was waiting for them. They had to retrieve it.

They left the empty room and began to slowly walk down the dark hallway, the sound of animals following them everywhere they went. SunRose kept close to Sabre_Mace as she felt a strange presence following her. It wasn't real, though – she just got scared often, "What is with all these noises? It's really starting to get to me."

"Yeah, 'cause other things haven't." Sabre_Mace joked before being slapped.

"I'm serious," SunRose stopped and grabbed one of the few torches on the walls, "Those noises… The odd lighting… That doctor… What gives? This place isn't normal."

"Sometimes you just have to shut the outside world out. Otherwise you'll be terrified of every little thing that you hear or see. It's how I've been surviving so long without losing my mind." Sabre_Mace said, stroking his right hand along the wall as they continued walking.

Then he nearly fell over.

Not because of his stupidity but because of a random hole in the wall. It looked to be where a door once was but was removed. Sabre_Mace slowly regained his posture and looked down the unforeseen hall with a staircase at the end. A bright light shone from the top of the stairs.

"Well, we can't let this go," Sabre_Mace said and began to approach the staircase, "Let's check it out."

"Nope, we have to find The Diamond Compass, remember?" SunRose stayed behind, "Just shut out anything else we find. It'll make this whole thing a lot easier."

"You know what?" Sabre_Mace shouted as he began to ascend the steps, "I don't care anymore. I'm gonna see what is at the top of these stairs and I guess you won't be there to find out with me."

SunRose didn't try to argue. She just didn't want to be alone. She followed.

The stairs were long, tiring, and just as dark as the rest of the building. The light at the top got bright and brighter the higher up they went until they seemed to have been completely consumed by it. They shut their eyes and looked away, continuing onwards until they found even ground.

Slowly did they open their eyes and see a cow staring right at them.

"Moo." It spoke.

"I'll be damned," Sabre_Mace laughed and pat the cow, "The sounds were coming from up here!"

The two looked around at the roof of the building and the strange animal farm that was left there. Pigs, wolves, cows, chickens, every type of animal was located there and looked happy.

That was it, though. They looked happy.

Were they really happy?

"What is this place?" SunRose noticed the animals all grouping around them, staring with empty eyes, "Does Victor just have a random farm on his roof like this? The dude's messed up."

Sabre_Mace looked directly into the cow's eyes, "The animals look deprived, too."

"Of what?"

"Attention, love, the basics," Sabre_Mace noted before becoming disturbed by his next thought, "Innocence."

"What?" SunRose was lost now.

Sabre_Mace stroked the cow's next, feeling a collar jingle. He crouched down and looked at a card attached to the collar. It had a picture of a random male user, looking straight at the camera with no emotion. Beside the picture was a name, age, and list of family members.

"Who are these people?" SunRose wondered aloud, investigating each of the animal's collars and cards. Every single one of them had a picture along with a bunch of random information.

Including a date on the back.

"These dates," Sabre_Mace noticed, "What are they for?"

SunRose shrugged, moving onto the next animal.

After looking over the majority of the animals and their identities, the two of them stopped and sat down on the grass while the animals continued staring at them. They would rub their heads on Sabre_Mace and SunRose, wanting their attention. The two users learned to just ignore it.

"Hey, Sabre_Mace," SunRose began, "Can I ask again?"

Sabre_Mace looked up from the grass, "What?"

"What were your parents like?"

The user sighed, unsheathing his diamond sword and setting it on the grass beside him, "Just like any other parents would be, I'm guessing. I don't really know what you want me to say. They were what they were supposed to be. You know, loving, caring, and always looking out for me."

"And this was a dream?"

Sabre_Mace nodded.

"So you actually remember your parents?"

Sabre_Mace was reminded of Echo suddenly.

"And everything? You know, your past and all?"

"SunRose, it's time I tell you," Sabre_Mace could take it no longer, "It's time I tell you what Echo told me."

SunRose lay down on the grass, "What's with you and Echo also? You always talk to him like he's this god or something. It's kind of creepy."

"Echo was a man that never deserved to die," Sabre_Mace was becoming rather emotional the more he spoke, "He was the only person I could really call a friend. No one was as normal and loving as him. He was what every user should want to be."  
><em><br>Oink._

"So," SunRose nodded, not really caring, "What did you want to tell me?"

"I'm not from this world and neither are you."  
><em><br>Moo_.

"Uh-huh," SunRose stood up, "Anyway, we should probably get-"

"Let me explain!" Sabre_Mace grabbed SunRose's arm, "Anascentia isn't our world! We were only put here because it was safer than where we came from. I was destined to fix everything because I survived. When I was in the real world, which was no dream, I met my parents and… I found the real you."

SunRose backed away, "Sabre_Mace, let's get going already. You can talk all this randomness all you want but at least let's make some distance."  
>Just as SunRose began down the steps, Sabre_Mace grabbed his sword and shouted down the narrow stairwell:<p>

"Ella!"

A strange surge of emotion shook SunRose's body. She nearly fell as she felt sad for no reason. She leaned against the wall, breathing heavily in and out until tears began to roll. She sat down, going insane from confusion. Why was she crying? What was wrong?

"What is happening?" SunRose cried.

Sabre_Mace began walking down the stairs, "Ella!"

She continued to cry even more, unable to stop herself.

"Sabre_Mace, what is wrong with me?" SunRose didn't understand.

"Ella!"

"Sabre_Mace, why do you-"

"Ella!" Sabre_Mace continued to repeat, "Ella!"

SunRose was becoming more and more scared of herself with every time Sabre_Mace repeated that name.

"Sabre_Mace…" She cried and threw her arms around him.

Sabre_Mace sighed and hugged her back, "SunRose."

* * *

><p>To be honest, they did not want to stay in New Victoria any longer. Sabre_Mace and SunRose both felt worried about Lloyd and Iris being taken care of by Victor Blanc but knew nothing could change. If Iris really wanted to see, he would be the one to go to.<p>

Finally, they could find the Diamond Compass.

As they stepped out onto the path winding down the mountain and under the sea of clouds, SunRose wrapped herself around Sabre_Mace's right arm. She had finally stopped crying and was surprised how calm Sabre_Mace was in reaction to her sudden emotional outbreak.

"Ella," SunRose said to herself quietly as they descended Skyward Mountain and said farewell to the city at the top of the world, "Who is Ella and why did it emotionally destroy me?"

Sabre_Mace remember clearer his own reaction when he found SunRose's real body – the body of Ella, "Ella is who you are. The person you are in Anascentia… The being you are being right now… It's merely a character. It's not you. You're Ella, not SunRose."

SunRose's eyes shot open.

"And then," SunRose let go, "You're Isaac?"

Sabre_Mace nodded, "I'm surprised you remembered."

"Of course," SunRose followed Sabre_Mace down the path, "Back in Fontaine you repeatedly called yourself Isaac. It wasn't just a random name, though. It was your actual name."

"_Is_my actual name."

SunRose was confused.

"Our bodies remain," Sabre_Mace said as the snow began to fall, "Although we continue to exist in Anascentia our lives in the real world are merely idle. The mission I've been given by the people of the real world – my parents – would restore all the damage that's been done. It would bring Eligos to an end."

"Who?"

Sabre_Mace chuckled, "I'll explain later."

SunRose nodded.

"But this isn't the end," Sabre_Mace began to say optimistically, "When Eligos is defeated and the world is saved, we'll be restored. We'll be back in our old skin and can live happily forever."

SunRose smiled.

"This isn't the end, Ella." Sabre_Mace promised.


	26. 2 11 The Ever Distant Sky

**Hooray, another chapter! Only three more (not including this one) until the end of the second "season."**

**This chapter is pretty much filler through and through. It deals with developing Roth so if you like Roth as a character go right on ahead.**

**Also, I have become a Beta Reader. Hooray for me.**

**I do not own Minecraft. Review if you like what you see.**

* * *

><p>Everything felt peaceful to Roth.<p>

Despite the cries and screams of all those affected by the recent battle, he felt at ease on the inside. He was left in front of the castle by the doctors. He felt the wind blow over him while he stared ominously into the sky. Its blue endlessness struck him as absolutely stunning. He wondered to himself how he had never quite marveled at such a masterpiece.

Slowly he began to drift in and out of consciousness. He felt incredibly tired but did not want to fall asleep. That was how his neighbor as a child died – he was attacked, went to sleep, and ended up in a coma. The guy's name was Andres and he was one of the saddest people Roth knew.  
>Roth knew.<p>

"Andres," Roth continued staring at the sky, "Such a conundrum of sorts that your death brought upon me. Eternal sadness and great, devious pleasure that could never be fulfilled. How I wish I could see you again. Oh, how I remember our days together. We could have been friends. We could have been _best_friends. Alas, you are gone and I am left here…"

He began to fall asleep before startling awake.

Roth coughed furiously.

"Yes, I am left here, staring at the sky, wondering why…" Roth said to himself aloud.

A strong wind blew over him.

"Wondering why I remember." Roth said.

* * *

><p>The great city of St. Rosemary sat upon a flourishing grassy hill in the Northern Sands. It had been voted the most beautiful city in Anascentia countless times since, well, it was pretty much the truth. The city was like a maze of brick and art at every corner. Festivals seemed to be held every day while a large clock tower watched over the city from up above.<p>

A young child stood in the middle of one of the many squares of the city where people gathered. On that particular day the city was bustling. The entire area was packed with merchants and performers hoping to earn some money for the future. The child was oblivious to all that was happening around him. He stood there, staring at the clock tower placed at the center of the city.

At the base of the tower was the Light Hall, which was seen as the capital of all the Northern Sands. It's where Agro the Sovereign would attend meetings formed by his disciples. Despite this, Agro preferred to remain out of public eye and keep to himself in his home called The Garden of Suffering.

For most of the child's life he's wanted to meet Agro, just once. Not many people ever saw Agro. When they did, it was on rare occasion and only for a moment or two. It became many journalists' dream to interview Agro and reap the rewards. As expected, though, none had ever gotten the opportunity.

"Roth!" A voice called out.

The young child turned around and looked through the thick crowd of people to see another child approaching him. This one had black dreadlocks and a strangely sincere smile on his face.

"Roth, ma and pa have been lookin' for you." The child said.

"Really?" Roth responded and followed the other child out of the square and down a curving street. Buildings lines up all along each side of the path, each tall and intricately designed with colors and odd shapes. Carriages and other animals traveled along the road with civilians amongst them. St. Rosemary was definitely one of the more sophisticated cities in Anascentia.

So what were Roth and Monty doing there?

They continued walking down the road until they reached a light yellow building on the corner of a five way intersection. A carriage was waiting out in front while chests were piled up in front of the transport. Roth and Monty went inside the building, entering into a fresh lobby with chairs along both walls and a nice, smooth counter up in front of them. The floors were red wool and the ceiling white. Various halls extended away from where the counter was located.

Roth ran up to the counter, "Did Louis and Diana leave yet?"

The lady shook her head, "Dear, why would they leave without you?"

"Come on, Roth; let's head back to the room. That's probably where they are now. Where else would they be?" Monty walked down the hall to the right  
>of the counter and began ascending a pair of steps to the upper floors. Roth followed along until they reached the third floor; the level they were staying at. They went to "the third room on the right" (that's how the lady at the counter described it to start with) and knocked gently.<p>

They heard some murmurs on the other side of the door.

"Louis?" Roth called out, "Diana?"

The door opened. An average size man with short, brown hair and a red suit stood before them, holding a suit case. He handed it to Monty and looked back to a woman with short, blond hair and a blue dress, "I'm just, uh, gonna go make sure the carriage driver knows the directions."

"Sounds good." Diana said from the back of the room.

Louis began walking down the hall with Monty and Roth. He avoided eye contact with them, instead deciding to look ahead at all times, even when walking down the stairs. They exited the building and began piling the chests and suitcases onto the back of the carriage while the driver spent his spare time feeding the horses.

"Where do you keep running off to, Roth?" Louis asked bluntly as they piled the last of the chests on, "This was the fourth time you disappeared. It's not wise for someone as young as you to be wandering around St. Rosemary by yourself when we're about to leave for home."

Roth shrugged, not really caring for his own safety.

"At least he's back, pa." Monty said.

"Speaking of which, why is it that you keep calling us by our names?" Louis asked, "Monty calls us ma and pa. Why can't you? Why do you call us Louis and Diana?"

Roth shrugged, not really caring for whom his parents were to him.

"It doesn't matter, pa. He still loves you either way." Monty said.

Louis rolled his eyes and returned inside the hotel.

* * *

><p>Inside the college in Imperial City, there were only two people left who weren't supposed to be there to begin with. While the rest of the city was in complete and utter panic, Burnley sat calmly against the walls of the upper levels of the educational facility. Garfunkel remained in the corner, slight conscience yet still coming to.<p>

The torches on the wall radiated brightly as the night outside approached ever so quickly. Burnley stood up and tried to shake Garfunkel completely awake, "Hey, Garfunkel."

The elderly archaeologist blinked slightly.

"Are you there?"

Garfunkel tried sitting up but suffered through great pain instead.

Burnley sat down beside Garfunkel, "Listen, I'm… terribly sorry for what I did. My mind was racing with the thought of power. I thought Obsidian666 was capable of granting me all of my wishes and commands by simply helping but… I see now that it was all a waste. The only way wishes come true is if I make them come true."

"…E-Eligos…" Garfunkel coughed up blood on the floor.

"Are you okay?" Burnley was becoming worried for the frail man.

Finally, the old man sat up all the way and sat against the wall, staring at Burnley without any real reaction to what happened. He seemed completely dumbfounded and irritated, "Only a fool would trust Eligos, Master Burnley."

"Eligos?"

Garfunkel slowly stood up, using the support of the wall to his advantage, and walked down the hall carefully. He felt weak in all his limbs and clearly thought he was gonna die at any minute. When he reached the end of the hall with the steps, he sat down and began to drift in and out of consciousness again.

"Old man," Burnley ran after him, "Don't overwork yourself, alright? It's not healthy for you to be moving too much with this much damage on your body."

"Shut your bloody yap, Master Burnley."

The former professor went dead silent.

"You are trying to tell me what to do? You are, in fact, the one who did this to me. Nothing like pointlessly hurting an old, helpless gentleman like myself. Now I wonder why you would go through all the work to serve Eligos when no such effort was necessary. The man is trying to fix a world that needs not fixing."

Burnley sat down on the steps beside Garfunkel, "I'm sor-"

"I said be quiet."

"But I'm trying to apologize!" Burnley was becoming impatient.

Garfunkel slapped Burnley across the face, "Be quiet."

Burnley felt hurt.

"For once in my life I have found someone that I cannot forgive, no matter what," Garfunkel looked Burnley in the eye, "You. Your own desires are blinding you from the truth. You say that you know you were wrong?"

Burnley nodded.

"Blimey. Don't be pulling my leg." Garfunkel stood up.

Burnley did the same.

"Speak for yourself."

The building went silent.

"I said speak, goddamn it!" Garfunkel shouted.

Burnley put his back to the wall, "The only person who can decide their fate is themselves. You say that I am blinded when I can see clearly now. Eligos is a mad man… I know that. You may not think I do, but I do. Try to understand that you are no messiah, old man. You are just what we call you – an old man."

"An old man who works his arse off to fulfill his dreams," Garfunkel wasn't angry anymore; he was more bitter and emotional, "My wife passed away because humanity was slowly failing. We have lost all the love and peace that we once had. Instead we now have bitterness that spreads throughout the desert and destroys what made us who we are."

Burnley looked down, "What?"

"Love. I loved my wife but she killed herself because she didn't feel it anymore in Anascentia. Instead we were left with chaos and hate that was never ending. Was it her fault? Why must she suffer when there are millions others who are just as deserving of death?" Garfunkel was beginning to shed tears.

There was nothing left to do.

Burnley embraced Garfunkel.

Garfunkel did the same.

"I _am_sorry, Garfunkel," Burnley sighed, "I really am."

"I know you are," Garfunkel wrapped his right arm around Burnley's neck and pulled him into a headlock, cutting off all oxygen flow, "I know you are."  
>Garfunkel slowly pulled the former teacher to the floor and looked him in the eyes as his life began to fade away. Burnley cried and begged for forgiveness once more before falling onto his back, deceased and deserving of such. The elderly archaeologist stood up and pressed the bottom of his foot to Burnley's chest.<p>

"Say hello to Rebecca for me, you bastard."

* * *

><p>"Roth! Stand up, will you?"<p>

The Imperial Guard was brought back to the current situation by just the sound of Herobrine's voice coming closer. Still on the stretcher, Roth looked over and saw the legendary hero approaching, looking bruised and bloody all over, which was surprising considering his status as a god.

Roth tried to sit up but couldn't, "Is everyone alright?"

"Mostly. Not too many casualties, thank goodness."

"Where's Loretta?"

"Still back helping out with cleaning up the battle," Herobrine was now standing beside the stretcher, "Did the doctors just straight up leave you out here by yourself? That's incredibly dangerous, especially considering what just happened to you."

Roth shook his head, "I wanted it like this. It gives me time to think."

"About what?"

"Childhood."

Herobrine nodded, "I see."

"What did you need anyway? You were calling my name."

"Nothing," Herobrine turned around and began walking away, "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Where's Garfunkel, though? Have you seen him recently?"

Roth laughed, "No, since I'm stuck on a goddamn stretcher."

"Right," Herobrine laughed back, "Right."

Roth smiled and looked back to the sky.

* * *

><p>Slowly did his eyes open.<p>

Slowly did he respond to his surroundings.

Roth sat up on what felt like rough wooden planks and looked around. The sound of wheels rolling over rough terrain had definitely gotten his attention. He looked up and saw stars across the night sky, shining brightly with the full moon beside them.

Wind was blowing in his face constantly. He finally realized he was on the carriage, heading home with his family. He looked over and saw Monty sitting beside him, reading _Aether_by Scott Thomas. Louis and Diana were in front of them, guiding the carriage driver in the right direction.

"How much longer 'til we get there?" Roth asked.

"Few more hours." Monty said, not looking up from his book.

Roth nodded and looked straight ahead, letting the wind bash his face mercilessly. It made him feel more alive than usual. He closed his eyes most of the way and felt his then long hair blow behind him.

For some odd reason the movement of the horses caught his attention. The way they galloped was odd – not really odd, it was odd that he never watched them gallop that up close before. It was one of those strange, out-of-body experiences when you begin to wonder about everything after experiencing something weird. This time it just happened to be a bunch of horses galloping wildly.

Louis turned around and smiled to Roth, "Finally awake?"

"Yeah."

That was about the extent of the conversation. Louis turned back around and continued talking dirty to Diana while the driver turned red just listening to what they had to say to each other. They slowly moved to rubbing each other's thighs and giving each other gentle kisses on the cheek. Things were getting rather intimate between them.

Then the horses tripped.

The entire carriage flipped and rolled constantly, destroying the precious cargo onboard and sending all four passengers (excluding the late carriage driver) flying out onto the gravel road. They all sat up and looked onwards at the wreck that was left behind. The horses, who belonged to a breed that was extremely rare, were killed along with the driver who was crushed by the body of the carriage.

Diana fell to her knees, "We're… W-We're…"

"Don't cry, Diana," Louis hugged her, "We'll be alright."

Together the quartet traveled into the night, unsure of what was next.

* * *

><p>Every time a battle occurred in Anascentia, it was common sense to search the site of the battle for any possible intruders. Since the battle was just in front of Imperial City, Herobrine decided it would be wise to investigate the capital and see if there were indeed any strange occurrences.<p>

For the most part everything seemed usual with people slowly beginning to return to their homes after being checked for severe damage to their body. Roth still remained in front of the castle, day dreaming about random things that came to mind. Herobrine kept on walking around the city, keeping his eyes peeled for clues or hints left behind.

Then the front doors of the college flew open.

Garfunkel wobbled out, bruised and beaten, and nearly fell over multiple times while hopping over to Herobrine, who was standing just in front of the building. The two looked ecstatic to see each other (despite Garfunkel having trouble showing it) and began to depart from the scene.

"What happened to you, out of curiosity?" Herobrine asked, wrapping Garfunkel's arm around his back for support.

"Nothing much," Garfunkel sighed and wiped blood from his mouth, "I just had to deal away with someone who didn't deserve life anymore. Nothing more, nothing less."

Herobrine stopped, "You _killed_someone?"

"Maybe."

Herobrine's jaw dropped.

"Can we get a move on, Master Brine?"

"Who did you kill, out of curiosity?"

Garfunkel pushed himself away from Herobrine and tried to balance himself on both feet. It was successful and he slowly continued to walk normally, although at a sluggish pace, "Why does it matter to you?"

"Garfunkel, we just had a battle and you weren't involved, yet somehow you wound up looking like this. It's worrying me right now. What exactly _were_you doing in the college anyway? How did you know this 'person' was there?" Herobrine asked, eying Garfunkel's feet to make sure he was there if the old man ever fell over.

They reached the main street and felt at peace as the people started trying to return to their normal lifestyle following such a hectic battle. Garfunkel thought back to the beginning of the conflict, "I saw a light on in the building. I was positive no one had been in there so I had me a look-see and found him."

"Who was it?"

"Professor Burnley. He betrayed us a couple weeks ago and decided to return to apologize," Garfunkel was becoming emotional again as he reminded himself of having to kill Burnley, "He was blinded by Eligos' plans and thought he was on the path to justice when he was still being played. It saddened me greatly, Master Brine. It really did."

The two stopped as doctors rushed into the city from outside the city walls, carrying bags of tools and papers. They hurried towards the castle with more doctors following behind distantly.

Garfunkel sat down on a nearby bench, "Say, where is Master Roth?"

Herobrine watched the doctors run by, "Dreaming."

* * *

><p>The night became more and more frightening the farther Roth and his family traveled. They had been stuck on the same gravel road for hours without anything else nearby for miles. On either side of them were grass fields – endless grass fields with no trees or animals - just grass.<p>

Eventually they all stopped when Diana sat down on the side of the road angrily, "Let's just wait out the night. It'll be easier that way. What do you say, guys?"

"No way!" Roth shouted, his cute little high pitched voice making him someone you couldn't take seriously too often, "Let's keep going! The monsters will get us if we stop."

"He's right, Diana," Louis pulled his wife back to her feet, "Don't give up."  
><em><br>Hiss_.

The group ran.

Monty and Roth took the lead while Louis and Diana backed them up in case of an ambush. The hissing began to come from everywhere, sort of making an eerie echo in their minds. For once in their entire lives, they were all scared.

Monty stopped.

"What? Why'd you stop?" Roth asked, looking back while still running.

All three of his family members shouted, "Stop!"

He did.

In front of him was a creeper.

Not a typical creeper, though. This creeper was glowing.

It was also silent.

"Roth!" His family members shouted again.

Roth turned and saw that they _were_ambushed. From all sides, too. They were literally trapped on the gravel road with nowhere to go. All creepers began to flash as they got closer, their hisses becoming more sinister with every moment they approached.

"What is this?" Roth asked, reaching for the glowing creeper.

Him being the age he was, he didn't think twice.

As he felt his hand touch the glossy texture of the glowing white creeper, he noticed the world around him slowly disappearing. Everything was becoming white as the colors were chipped away. Even his family members began to disappear, their screams muted and the creepers around them vanishing too.

Roth looked around curiously, frightened by what he might've just done.  
><em><br>Roth, wake up!  
><em>  
>The young child looked up and saw a glowing light in the sky, sparkling with intense beauty. He held out his small hand to it.<br>_  
>Roth!<em>

* * *

><p>Roth sat up instantly and looked around, breathing heavily. The world of white was stuck in his head permanently. He couldn't stop thinking about it. He was back in his world, though. It was the clinic, where he had once found his brother Monty's dead body. He sat back as a doctor walked back into his room.<p>

"Sorry if we might have scarred you for life," The doctor laughed, "We just had to inject you with a serum that would bring you out of the delusional state you were in. Feeling normal now, are you?"

The Imperial Guard closed his eyes, "My family."

"Hm?" The doctor responded.

"I remember now."

The doctor nodded and left.

Not even a minute later Herobrine walked into the room, covered in bandages. He smiled and sat down on a stool beside Roth's bed, "You remember now, huh? What was it like?"

"I don't want to remember, though."

This struck Herobrine as incredibly strange.

"There was a world of white that erased everything," Roth was beginning to tear up, "I was there. I was _with_them. The family I don't remember having! And now…" Roth was beginning to bawl, "No more! Nothing!"

Herobrine hugged Roth, "It's alright."

The two sat there in silence.

"You know…" Roth finally began to speak again, "As I was lying there, on the stretcher, looking at the ever distant sky, I began to remember it all. I was in St. Rosemary with my mother and father and brother and…"

"And what?"

Roth gulped, "We were traveling back to our home via carriage when the wagon flipped and we were stranded. Creepers ambushed us and then the world turned white. That's all I remember. Why'd it have to be that?"

Herobrine stood up, "The mind works in mysterious ways."

Indeed it did. Roth sat back in his bed and stared at the wall, trying to remember his past again as it slipped from him. He slowly lost his memories of what Louis and Diana looked like as well as Monty. He even began to forget the creeper ambush. All he could remember was the white that devoured his mind and woke him up. Once again he could no longer reminisce on his childhood that he wondered if he ever had.

This was for the better though. That's an absolute truth.


	27. 2 12 Occam's Razor Reprisal

**Sorry for the wait on this chapter. I had plenty of other matters to worry about, and they took top priority.**

**This chapter is going to be the start of a little story arc revolving around Frank, Serenade, and two new characters.**

**Nothing much else to say.**

**If you like what you read, please leave a review to let me know to keep going. I'd really appreciate it all.**

**I do not own Minecraft.**

* * *

><p>Light blinded Frank as he stepped out from the underground, Serenade still in his arms. His heart was pounding with great suspense. He looked around the area, noticing he wasn't quite in the Sand Sea anymore – it was grassier. There were vacant wooden towers everywhere as well. Whatever this meant didn't matter to Frank. He needed to find someone. He needed to find <em>help<em>.

Without thinking twice, Frank began running, his eyes welling with tears quickly. The wind was sharp and sent psychological pain through his head completely. He could feel his arms get sweaty as he tried to hold onto Serenade as best as he could. There wasn't much another choice. He knew what he had to do. The question, though, was if he could do it or not.

He didn't know.

"Help! Help!" Frank began shouting. He slowly placed Serenade against a palm tree and began running around frantically. His head was hurting excessively. The fact that he was trapped in a corner at this point didn't help at all. The ground was covered in sand and dirt with palm trees placed everywhere.

Serenade began to stir a bit in her sleep.

"Stay down, Serenade!" Frank shouted before running around again. Ever so slowly did he begin to lose his grip on everything. Every now and then he would stop and stare into space, a white line running right down his line of vision. He couldn't tell if it was real or not. He tried to grab it. It only hurt his head even more.

"F-Frank…" Serenade groaned, trying to stand up.

Frank ran over to her and pushed her back down onto the ground, "Stay down, Serenade! I won't allow you to die! Not now or ever, alright? Just… Just stay down please!"

"Die?..." Serenade fell against the tree, "I'm… going to die?"

Any hope that Frank had died that instant.

Was she?

He had no idea.

"Just… just stay down, please. I'll go find us help." Frank assured and ran off again. There were mountains in the far distance but it didn't seem like  
>Serenade would make it that far before giving into the poison. Other than that, there was nothing. The only thing he could do is be with Serenade while her world ended.<br>_  
>No!<em>He thought valiantly and walked back to Serenade. He grabbed her and proper her up onto his shoulder. With the sound of her breathing in his ear as his only motivation, Frank set off towards the mountains. He could tell it was going to be a long walk, but he didn't mind. He wasn't alone, after all.

He had Serenade, and that was plenty.

* * *

><p>The sound of gunfire sent Serenade into a sudden panic.<p>

The young girl fell off Frank's shoulder and onto her back on the ground. Her eyes became big as she began breathing sporadically. She reached her arm out to the sky, grasping for something that was literally not there. Slowly she stopped while Frank picked her up again. She slowly drifted back to  
>sleep.<p>

"Goddamn it, Serenade. _Please_ stop scaring me like that. I've got enough on my mind already." Frank said to himself while walking. It seemed like the palm trees formed a path to the mountains since the entire time he was walking there were a line of said trees on either side of him. He didn't mind. It felt like guidance, which he _really_wanted then.

The gunfire returned, though, and that began to worry Frank. It was becoming louder; even an echo accompanied it! That was bit of an optimistic sign to Frank since it meant he was closer to the mountain. The fire kept sounding, which startled him every single time.

When it had come frighteningly close, he had enough. He set Serenade down, removed the Obsidian Magma Blade from his back, and prepared to strike anyone that might have come to slay him. He hid behind the palm trees, looking out carefully to see if there was anyone approaching. Luckily, he was completely alone.

That is, until a man clad in a red robe appeared from behind a hit with a scimitar in his hand. A belt was wrapped around his neck to keep the red robe on with comfort (I guess?). The protected man got down onto his knees and began to descend down the hill slowly.

"The hell?" Frank whispered quietly to himself.

The protected man stood up and sheathed his scimitar onto his back, "Sir, I believe they are retreating. Should we call his a victory or a draw?"

"A victory, of course! Why the hell would it be a draw, you idiot?" Another man in a red robe appeared from behind the hill. This one had a large, golden star attached to his chest.

Soon an entire army of red robed users piled out from behind the hill, marching after their leaders who were walking away. They began chanting and cheering as if they had _actually_accomplished something. Had they? I don't know. I'm just the goddamn narrator.

As the army left the "battlefield," Frank began to feel the opportunity slip away from him. He stepped out from behind the tree and approached them calmly. As he got closer, it seemed as if they _tried_to ignore him. None of them turned around to acknowledge his existence.

"Excuse me?" Frank shouted.

The army turned suddenly and unsheathed their scimitars. They jumped instantly into a battle stance before stopping disappointedly and sheathing their weapons again, "Just a commoner. Nothing to worry about, guys." The guy with the star on his chest said.

"Please, hear me out! I need help!" Frank pleaded to the leaving army.

"We have a war to fight, buddy. We can't worry about your 'needs'."

Frank pointed the Obsidian Magma Blade at the army, "Listen to me, goddamn it! My friend is dying innocently and needs dire help! Please, I'll do anything, alright?"

The army stopped and turned around, "Why should we help you?"

"Because I love her! Haven't you ever loved someone before?"

"The only person we love," the man with the star stepped forward proudly, raising his scimitar into the air, "is Notch! All hail Notch, the true creator!"

The entire army raised their swords, "All hail Notch!"

Frank fell to his knees, "Goddamn it."

"Notch would want this, however," the man with the star said, "men! Retrieve the woman in distress! We shall see to her medical attention in Nocturne!" The man approached Frank while a bunch of soldiers began to wander aimlessly, trying to find Serenade, "You sir, what is your name?"

"My name is Frank, sir."

"Father Frank! Very much a pleasure to see you. I am Sergio of Nocturne, the man trying to fight for the holiness of Notch that is being destroyed! Tell me, sir, do you believe in Notch?"

Frank stood up and thought about it. Did he? Honestly, he just didn't give a shit. Religion was just something he never tried to worry about. Living was his major priority, "Not sure, sir. If you'd want me to, then so be it."

"Fantastic! Come forth, we shall head for Nocturne this instant! Perhaps you would be so kind as to join us Crusaders in running those forsaken Rebels!" Sergio asked whole-heartedly. He patted Frank on the back in assurance.

"Rebels? As in _Redstone_Rebels?"

"Nonsense! The rebels who dare to undermine the very foundation of Notch and what he has done for our great world! Why, they dare disprove all that he has given us? Blasphemy! We shall smite them!" Sergio pointed out to the mountains, "Hurry now! We have a long ways to go before we reach Nocturne!"

As the army began marching on, Frank felt safe again when he found Serenade back in his arms. Despite not being sure whether he really wanted to serve these Crusaders, he knew that it would all turn out all right if he was just able to get Serenade help.

That's all that mattered to him. No goddamn war or anything.

Just Serenade.

* * *

><p>A large tower was placed at the foot of the mountains where Nocturne was located. Large walls surrounded it, signaling civilization. Yes, <em>this<em> was Nocturne, the village where an unheard of war was taking place. Frank felt confident and hopeful that at least _someone_would be able to save Serenade. Periodically he would look over to Sergio, who stared forward the majority of the time.

"Sir, remember," Frank began, "Serenade comes first."

"Absolutely. Then war." Sergio commanded.

The army approached the east side of the city where a large, metal gate was located. A very extravagant Redstone design was placed to open access to the city following the proper password being put in. It seemed like every soldier knew how the city worked very well. The army began to follow Sergio into the city, which looked very similar to Imperial City (despite Frank not really knowing this.)

As Frank stood there, watching the city fill with Crusaders from the outside, he felt some sort of presence from behind him. He turned around and saw three Crusaders standing before him, urging him inside, "Come on, inside with you. We need to see that your pretty little girl is taken care of."

"Right," Frank nodded and began to slowly walk through the gate, "right."

Before he could even turn around, he heard the sound of the Crusaders behind him screaming in agony. They fell to the ground, their throats sliced clean with little blood gushing out. Two other people stood over them, hidden behind blue robes. They had guns and knives attached to their belt, which was around their waist.

The two turned to Frank, who was frozen in panic, "P-Please don't kill-"

"You're safe now." They said and grabbed Serenade out of his arms.

"Hey, give her back!" Frank panicked and whipped out the Obsidian Magma Blade. He sliced it at them without thinking. They jumped out of the way with Serenade in their arms. They then disarmed Frank with their feet, sending him onto his back.

Serenade stirred form her sleep again, "F-Frank?... Where are you?..."

"Hush, little girl. Everything is all right." The mysterious person said.

Frank jumped back up, "What do you want? I'll do anything! Just-"

"Shut the hell up, will ya? We're just saving you from those insane Crusaders is all. Why can't you appreciate the small things in life, like our heroic efforts to make sure you're all right?" One of the blue people said, "What's your name?"

"Frank. Just Frank." Frank said and sheathed the blade.

The blue people removed the hoods over their heads, revealing bushy black and blond hair. They smiled politely and held out their hands for Frank to shake, "My name is Art. This guy over here is Donald. We're from the Revolution."

"Revolution? Are you those rebels that Sergio was talkin' about?"

"I guess so," Art began talking, "he is incredibly ignorant."

Donald handed Serenade back to Frank, "That's why we've tried to run them out of Nocturne. They don't belong in this type of city. They only cause trouble."

"Yeah, I could _tell_they were a bit insane. Did you guys actually come here to save us?" Frank began to follow the two rebels around the city to the other side where the Revolution lived.

"Totally. We heard word from our scouts following that last battle that they had captured you. We immediately got up onto the wall and prepared to ambush them. Luckily they didn't find out and you got out of there safely," Donald explained and looked to Serenade in Frank's arms, "who is this, Frank? She looks sick."

Frank looked down at Serenade in grief, "Yeah, she… she is Serenade. She is sort of my best friend and… she was poisoned."

"Poisoned? How terrible! How did that happen?" Art sounded sincere.

"We had to retrieve the Obsidian Magma Blade from the Bedrock Temple when Tripwire became involved and…" Frank trailed off. He was nearly left in tears from reminiscing on Serenade' breakdown.

Donald sighed, "Ah, right. Goddamn Tripwire."

"You know him?"

"He was once a part of Nocturne. He left because he was left in the middle of our war. I always wondered what the hell happened to him anyway. Such a strange guy." Donald explained.

Frank stopped as they reached the gate, "Yeah, he definitely is _strange_. He was so nice at first, but suddenly broke out on us. He saved us then tried to kill us. It was terrifying."

"I guess he never got checked, then." Art thought.

"Checked?" Frank asked.

"He suffered heavily from a multiple personality disorder. That was one of the reasons why he was a neutral in Nocturne. Now we only have one neutral and he never comes out of his home. Can't blame him, though." Donald opened up the gate and the group walked into the city.

The city looked almost identical on either side. Both the Crusaders and Revolution used the same architecture style. The only real difference Frank could see was about how populated the Revolution side was – there were _actually_people out and about. They looked happy, too, but not about the war.

"Alright, let's get Serenade to a doctor then." Art said and began leading Frank through the city to a small white building on the corner of one path. It had a arch-like wooden door with one window on the right of it. They entered through into a dimly lit room with an older guy in a white suit sitting in a chair in the corner. A couch was placed against the wall with one torch above it. A table was placed in front of the couch with a couple of books on top of it.

The doctor in the corner stood up, "Another patient, Art?"

"Yes sir."

"My, you always seem to be finding the sick ones."

Donald rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, thank you _too_Donald," The doctor said and grabbed Serenade out of Frank's arms, "she looks strange. What is it that is wrong?"

"She's poisoned!" Frank shouted.

"Shh, boy, shh." The doctor carried Serenade into another room.

The trio sat down on the couch. Art and Donald began removing their robes from their body and setting them on the table in front of them. They began to relax on the couch while Frank sat forward, rocking slightly in thought that the doctor couldn't do anything.

"Relax, buddy. She'll be alright. Domino is the best doctor around." Art said.

"I hope your right," Frank said, "I love her."

"We know, buddy. We know."

* * *

><p>The sound of gunfire was still ringing in Frank's head. He shook viciously to try and rid his memory of it as it was becoming agonizing to him. He tried to sleep while Serenade was treated but nothing could be done to take his mind off the gunfire. It was so consistent. But why?<p>

Suddenly it stopped.

"She is ready." Domino spoke from the other room.

Frank jumped up while Art and Donald remained sleeping, "Thank you, sir." He walked into the other room and saw Serenade laying, fully awake and smiling, in a bed in the corner. She had color back in her face and held out her hand to Frank.

"Thank you, Frank." Serenade said and stood up.

"I'm sorry." Frank hugged Serenade.

"Sorry?"

"I should've done something else to save you. Tripwire was sick-minded and I should've seen it coming." Frank sat down on the bed.

Domino approached them, "Look, if you're gonna have your little relationship problems, take them out of my office."

The two nodded and left the office. They stood out in the lobby while Art and Donald began to stand up and stretch, "Man, that was a damn good nap. I haven't slept like that in weeks. Anyway, feeling better, Serenade?" Donald asked.

"Yes. Thank you for everything you too." Serenade smiled and hugged them both.

Suddenly, gunfire.

Everywhere.

Frank fell to his knees, "Goddamn it! That sound… It's becoming more and more horrifying! Why can I only hear it? It's been in my head all goddamn day! Make it stop!"

"Frank, get the hell up. It's not in your head!" Art grabbed Frank and pulled him to the nearby window. They looked out and saw dozens of Rebels filling the streets, clad in their blue robes and weapons. The gunfire began to affect then, sending multiple soldiers to the ground right in the middle of the street.

The group exited the building and looked to see that yet another battle was forming – right in the middle of the city. A pristine looking river ran down the city, acting as the border between sides. The battle took place on the bridge that ran over that river. Let's just say that the river wasn't so _pristine_any longer.

Art and Donald began to put on their robes, "Run, Frank. They must be looking for you."

"How are you so sure?" Frank asked, holding Serenade's hand.

"They never attack us in the city," Art began to explain, "they always tell us to meet them somewhere. _Then_ they attack. They're _that_insane."

"Why do you guys fight, though?" Serenade asked before Art and Donald could run off and join the fight.

Donald stopped, his hood covering his face, "We fight to preserve peace, that's why."

"But fighting only causes more pain!" Serenade said emotionally.

Art scratched his head, "Why the hell are you acting up suddenly?"

"She's the daughter of the moderator. She's seen some serious stuff." Frank explained.

Art and Donald shrugged, "Whatevs."

Serenade screamed.

Frank turned around and saw several Crusaders approaching them from behind, their scimitars covered in the blood of Rebels, "Come with us, Frank. We shall save you from the blasphemy of these rebels!"

"No thanks," Frank took out his gun and aimed it at the Crusader in the front, "I'm happy with where I am. Why don't you go back to where you came from?"

The Crusaders sprinted forward.

Frank pulled the trigger.

Blood began to cover the streets while nearby civilians screamed in terror.

"Hurry, Frank! Follow us!" Donald shouted and began pulling Frank and Serenade after him and Art. They ran down the street and turned into a nearby alley. They ran deeper until a ladder appeared. One by one they climbed up to the brick roofs. Once they were off the ground and safe (for the most part) they looked out over the river and saw countless bodies filling up the river.

Art sat down in disbelief, "This can't be happening. Nothing like this has ever occurred. Why is this happening? Donald, why the hell is this happening all of a sudden? This isn't good."

"I… I don't know!" Donald was panicking now, "Nocturne isn't meant for a battle like this! Too many people… They're all gonna die!"

Frank looked out over the horrific scene over the river, "What can we do?"

"Nothing," Donald sat down in defeat, "No one will win at this point. All we can do is watch as countless people die."

Art sighed, "What about Amon?"

Serenade looked at Art, "Amon? As in the Endersend?"

"Amon, yeah. He can save us, can't he?" Art asked Donald.

"He's just a myth." Donald pointed out.

"No, he isn't!" Serenade fought back, "I've studied all the Endersend and Amon is the only one proven to truly exist! He has brought countless disputes to rest! If we can find him, then I'm sure he can help us!"

Frank nodded, "Alright, where is he and _how_are you so sure that he'll just help us like that?"

"Um, I don't know," Serenade sat down alongside Donald, "I'm just guessing."

Art pointed to the river, "We can ask Missy."

"Who the _hell_is Missy?" Frank asked.

"She's the town's philosopher. She's the only neutral left. She _must _know about Amon. She can probably tell us where he is and how to find him. Come on, we can at least try, right?" Art tried to get some sort of answer out of Donald.

Frank looked to the river and noticed that a building was built in the middle of its northern edge. It was shaped like an octagon. It was built with white wool and wood with a cross on the top. Unlike the rest of the city, it seemed absolutely pure.

"Let's go." Frank pulled Serenade to her feet.

"Why bother?" Donald asked.

"Because it's the only chance we got, damn it." Art said and began leading Serenade and Frank off the building. Donald stood up and followed solemnly, expecting to die at any minute. With the amount of bloodshed in the air, he knew his life was only a few moments away from ending.

The quartet began to make their way through the outer side of the city to the river. When they did reach it, they dove right into the water and began swimming to the island where the building was located. When they reached the stone island, they rushed to the front of the building and burst inside without considering to knock.

On the inside was nothing. Just white walls and a wooden floor. In the middle of the small building was a woman, dressed in a white robe, meditating peacefully. Not a single part of her skin or body was visible. She just stared at the ground.

"Excuse me, Missy-" Art began.

"Shh, boy, shh," she spoke in a grainy, dying voice, "your voice hurts the spiritual plain that I wander through."

Frank began breathing carefully, "But Missy, we-"

"Shh." She spoke again.

Serenade approached the old hag and sat down in front of her, "Please, could you hear us out?"

The old man looked up, her face covered by her robe, "What is it that you disturb my peace and quiet?"

"How about the goddamn war that is going on outside?" Donald interrupted.

Missy nodded, "Right, right. The war is escalating yet resolving at the same time. How unfortunate."

"Please, we need only one thing." Serenade put her arm on Missy's shoulder.

Missy remained silent.

"Where is Amon?"

Missy sighed.

"Do not harm Amon. Do not bring him into your modern affairs."

"Why not?"

"It would kill him instantly."

The group looked at each curiously.

Would they really not consider one's death when trying to bring the war to an end?

Frank sat down beside Serenade, "We need to end this war, Missy."

"We _need _to." Serenade added.

Missy sighed somberly, "Very well then. Listen up."

And so they did.


	28. 2 13 Eternal Sunshine

**Me again.**

**Oh look, another chapter? And it's the END of the second "season"? Golly, where does the time go.**

**Overall, this is definitely one of my favorite chapters. I believe it strengthens both SunRose and Sabre_Mace's characters and sets up the end of the story greatly.**

**For those who don't understand what's going on in the story, be sure to read the beginning of this one as it explains it all.**

**Yet again, I do not own Minecraft.**

**I'd greatly appreciate it if you reviewed if you like what you read.**

* * *

><p><em>Down in the valley, birds sang and animals lived without fear of death.<em>  
><em><br>Down in the valley, those who lived were the ones who were blessed._  
><em><br>Down in the valley, hope was but a myth in the sea of glee._  
><em><br>Down in the valley, love was abundant and seemed just like a dream._  
><em><br>Far off, in the land of wonder, thunder clashed with water._  
><em><br>Far off, in the land of fear, peace clashed with slaughter._  
><em><br>Far off, in the land of roses, life and death weren't fears, but phases._  
><em><br>Far off, in the land of echoes, there were no winners._  
><em><br>Only those that never saw the light._

* * *

><p>The sky was a bit clearer, but only slightly. Sabre_Mace stared up at it almost the entire way down the mountain. SunRose always had to remind him where they were and tell them that there were creepers around, posing as a possible danger to them in their travels to The House of the Holy Sun.<br>Funny thing is that they still had no idea where they were going, Just downwards is all.

"September of Love, SunRose. September of-"

"Shut it, will you? I'm sick and tired of listening to you preach all this happy love and peace crap. Can you please be yourself once more? I'm still shocked that you were able to bring out such emotion in me back there." SunRose remarked on being called Ella.

The two of them had reached the flatlands at the bottom of the valley. The trip down the mountain wasn't a difficult one since the snow had slowed down gradually. Once they reached its foot, they were clear of any dangerous weather conditions. It was just smooth sailing from there.

Everywhere was moss, though. It was dead grass, moss, and earth. The sky was gray, giving off a damp mood. It felt like it could rain at any moment or second. The animals down in the valley were sparse, but stuck to the more mountainous area since it served better for surviving in several ways.  
>Other than that, there were no obstacles in Sabre_Mace's and SunRose's ways. They were full of hope that they could find The Diamond Compass soon and bring their forsaken journey to an end.<p>

They began to ascend upon a hill before SunRose stopped, "Sabre_Mace, or Isaac or whatever, why do we need The Diamond Compass again? You said that it would lead to the Nether or something. Why can't we just go ahead and find that portal? Wouldn't it be easier than traveling to find that thing in this Holy Sun House place?"

"You don't understand the complexity of the situation, SunRose," Sabre_Mace reached the top of the hill and sat down on a log, "I went to the real world and back. I know what is really going on; you don't. Why question what we must do? We do whatever is necessary in fixing what our people did wrong."

"What our people did wrong?" SunRose sat down beside him curiously.

Sabre_Mace looked out over the vast valley and saw a glimmering light towards the center. It shot a pillar of strong radiance into the sky, piercing through the dense clouds. "In our world, Minecraft was the subject of experiments by scientists trying to import and export life from it. It eventually messed up and created a virus," Sabre_Mace looked down disappointingly, "that virus is Obsidian666, or Eligos as he is properly called."

SunRose noticed the light, "We're not fighting a user, then?"

"No. We're fighting a god at this point," Sabre_Mace listened to the tree behind him rustle in the wind gently, "but there is much more to the situation that you don't know."

"Then tell me. Tell me it all."

"Do you know of the Four Noble Horsemen?"

SunRose shook her head.

"They were created to prevent Eligos from doing any possible damage to anything, really. Eligos was strong enough that he could affect the real world and Anascentia. Four different programs were created by the scientists to attack and delete Eligos, but those were eventually corrupted. One of those was Echo. Another was Exile. Another could _possibly_be MajesticQ. So I don't know who the last one is. Either way, they were created to stop Eligos, but failed. This led to the demise of our own world, called the Technological Apocalypse. The four programs eventually became normal functioning users in this world; they also became targets of Eligos, who changed his name to Obsidian666 to disguise that he really is a virus. That's why they wanted me to kill the Four Noble Horsemen – so that Eligos would become the strongest being possible. The Four Noble Horsemen are holding him back. There only remain two now." Sabre_Mace was becoming more anxious as he thought about his situation. Was he even ready to face Eligos?

"Why can't we just ignore the Noble Horsemen and go for Eligos?"

"Because he is protected then. That's the thing about the whole deal – I _have_to kill them. I have to let Eligos reach his full potential. Otherwise, he is invincible," Sabre_Mace pointed out to the light in the distance, "But The Diamond Compass is a whole other story. It was created by the precursors of this land who knew of Eligos and his power. They were the original survivors of The Tech Apocalypse, and knew that Eligos wouldn't be around for a while when his user body materialized. So they created The Dragon Prophecy, which was in relation to their theory that Eligos would go for the Nether, which houses The Ender Dragon that Lazarus mentioned. The Diamond Compass wasn't created by the ancestors, though."

The two of them began walking toward the light in the distance, "Who created it then?"

"Nobody," Sabre_Mace began, "It was created by the Nether itself. When the Nether was first established all that time ago, The Diamond Compass was created as the true connection between it and Anascentia. That's why it will lead us to the Nether. Once we find it, we can reach the Nether before Eligos. This was all a part of The Dragon Prophecy, which Eligos wanted so that nobody knew the secret to keeping him from his ultimate power."

SunRose was becoming fearful herself, "This is terrifying. I had no idea."

"Nobody did or does," Sabre_Mace grasped SunRose's hand, "only we do. We have the power to stop it all, though. We know the truth! We know what must be done! We can save those who have been terrorized by the insanity of Eligos!"

The two of them looked into each other's eyes.

"Let's bring this pointlessness to an end and go home." Sabre_Mace said.

SunRose nodded, "Let's."

* * *

><p>The light became brighter as Sabre_Mace and SunRose approached it, getting closer and closer. As they began to become affected by its brightness, they began to also see what they were truly walking towards – an octagonal building made of brick and stone slabs. It raised high into the air with few windows along its crumbling surface.<p>

This was The House of the Holy Sun.

The two heroes approached the building cautiously as the light became nearly unbearable. Once they felt their palms press against the smooth brick, they heard a strange noise, sort of like a laser. They looked up and the light – along with the pillar – was gone. The sky was once again completely cloudy with no light breaking through whatsoever.

"Damn, didn't expect something this nice." Sabre_Mace remarked as they traveled along its side, looking for an entrance.

There was only one entrance, on the right side from where they stood. It was 5x4 with no doors and led into an eerie darkness. As they walked inside, the kept their hands pressed against the walls of the hall to see if they could find any other passages. If they wanted to find The Diamond Compass quickly, then they would have to be more productive.

They found no passages, though. Only light.

Once they reached the opposite side of the hall, a bright light filled the room, startling both of them initially. They stood there, catching their breath, before noticing that they were in a generic 5x4 hall with nothing of significance to see. No paintings, no torches, no items, no other halls. It was just brick and stone slab.

SunRose sat down against the wall, "We _are_at the right place, right?"

"This should definitely be it. What else could it be?"

Both of them exited the building and looked around to find nothing had changed. What was the point of the light in the hallway? They looked around the building some more and even tried climbing before giving up and going back inside. They went to the end of the hall and looked at the wall in front of them.

"Break it down." Sabre_Mace ordered.

"What? Why should I?"

"Because the world needs saving, that's why."

"Why can't you do it?"

"Why can't you?"

"It's supposedly legendary. I don't want to grieve or anything."

"Fine then. I'll just do it." Sabre_Mace removed his diamond sword and began hacking away at the wall. Once the six blocks in front of him were gone, he found another layer of blocks, except these were clay. As he began hacking away at the layers, he found that it looked to be blocked off by clay for perhaps a reason.

Once the clay was completely gone, they stood in front of a 4x4 pool in the middle of a bright room, which was probably where the column of light from before came from. The pool was full of white water, sort of like milk. It had ripples everywhere despite being untouched.

SunRose crouched down beside the pool, "What is this stuff?"

"Beats me. Milk maybe? Don't know why cows would be near here though," Sabre_Mace stuck his finger in the water. When he pulled it out, his finger was covered in what looked like white paint, "okay, this is disgusting. What the hell is it? Was the light coming out of here?"

SunRose stuck her finger in it and found that the same substance was stuck to her finger. She sniffed it and nearly fell unconscious. Not that it smelled bad or anything – was the best thing she ever smelled. She couldn't even describe it. All she could do was smell it repeatedly.

"You're not getting high off it, are you?" Sabre_Mace asked.

"No, no, why would you think that?" SunRose continued to sniff it.

Then Sabre_Mace started smelling and the whole operation began falling apart. Both of them nearly fell into a coma from the stench. They were laughing, smiling, and dancing around randomly in response to the strange substance. When they couldn't smell anymore, they would dip their whole freaking hand in there and smell it all. It would be terrifying if anyone else was there.

Finally, their entire arm was drenched in the white water.

They couldn't have enough.

They took a deep breath and dove right into the pool.

What happened next should be described in the greatest detail possible, so I'll try my best: they begin to feel weightless, lose their clothes, and begin to see the wind around them as they notice that they are, in fact, floating above the rest of Anascentia, a warm feeling running over them. The whole world is white and gray, but various colors begin to arise in the distance. As they stare off at the colors, they see a massive peacock walk towards them with the colors shining off its feathers. The peacock begins running towards them, but goes past them, sending them tumbling chaotically through the air until they become completely still again. The world begins to disappear, block by block, until all that is left is an abyss of white. A great light begins to shine from above. The two of them stare up at it and are blinded until all they can see is nothing.

Then they opened their eyes.

No longer were they present in The House of the Holy Sun.

Both of them sat up, feeling snow beneath them. They looked around and saw that it looked like a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Snow falling everywhere with frozen lakes. They looked at each other (fully clothed) and stood up, dumbfounded about what the hell just happened.

"Where the hell are we, Ella?" Sabre_Mace asked.

SunRose felt a pang of sadness, "Please don't call me that."

"Fine, whatever. The question still stands." Sabre_Mace walked away.

Both of them explored the strange land closer, walking great distances before stopping abruptly and walking in a completely different direction. As they continued to wander off, they noticed a green light in the distance. It shined bright; sort of light all the lights that they've been blinded by in this freaking chapter. They wanted that light. They began walking to it, slowly like a zombie.

When they reached the green light, they find that it was really just a dome with a green forest on the inside. They walked around the glass dome before finding the entrance. They pushed open the door and walked inside, entering into the warm environment. They stood there for a good second before asking themselves a good question.

"What the hell is going on?" They both echoed, looking around for an answer. They chopped down trees, dug up dirt, and tried to exit, but nothing happened. They sat down against the glass and stared outside, growing more and more tired of their journey.

SunRose yawned, "Can't we just go home now?"

"What?"

"Now, like right now. Just go home. You went to the real world before, can't you do it again?" SunRose was beginning to become drowsier by the second. She nearly fell asleep on Sabre_Mace's shoulder.

Sabre_Mace shook his head, "I don't know how. Only my parents do."

"Right," SunRose was nearly completely asleep, "right…"  
><em><br>Boom._

A great quake shook the entire dome. Trees fell over while Sabre_Mace and a startled SunRose jumped up and out of the way. They stood by the glass wall, staring at the fallen trees in shock. Then they looked out the wall itself and saw something even more shocking.

Not too far away, the snowy land outside the dome had completely broken off and fallen away into a before unseen ocean of water. They began to see massive tides form as some sort of storm began to brew. Waves crashed on the shore as the light inside the dome began to flicker rapidly.  
><em><br>Boom.  
><em>  
>Yet again a quake began to knock down more trees. The light in the dome completely shut off now as the land on the other side of the dome fell off and into the ocean.<br>_  
>Boom Boom.<em>

Now the other two sides of the land collapsed into the sea. Lightning began to appear in the sky as Sabre_Mace and SunRose fell down to the ground, legitimately crying in fear. They fell to their stomachs, side by side, waiting for the sudden terror to end.

"Is this what the white stuff does?" SunRose asked.

"What?" Sabre_Mace looked up.

SunRose did the same.

Before them stood a massive white dragon, staring at them with beautiful blue eyes. Around it stood white Endermen, who were just staring at the two lost users. The dragon then looked up to the sky and howled some sort of tune as the Endermen began chanting, "Savior, our dragon, bring forth the untimely and forgiving rebirth! For it is time for our light to collapse into the earth!"

Sabre_Mace and SunRose stood up as the chanting continued.

"Savior, our dragon, bring forth the untimely and forgiving rebirth!"

Sabre_Mace and SunRose looked at each other.

"For it is time for our light to collapse into the earth!"

"Ella, I…" Sabre_Mace stopped.

"Savior, our dragon, bring forth the untimely and forgiving rebirth!"

"What is it?" SunRose asked.

"Ella, I… I…"

"For it is time for our light to collapse into the earth!"

Sabre_Mace hugged SunRose, "Ella, I love you."

The ground beneath them fell endlessly. The white dragon began to flap its massive wings while the white Endermen grabbed onto its body. The glass shattered completely while the mysterious beings flew away into the gathering storm.

"You what?" SunRose asked as the two fell into an endless pit.

Water from all sides began to rush down the pit rapidly.

"I said I-"

He couldn't even finish his sentence before becoming engulfed by the water. Both of them began to fall under, their hands still holding onto each other as they were pulled and pushed by the flowing water. They stared at each other, trying their best to hold their breath.

SunRose couldn't.

* * *

><p>Darkness. It was too great this time.<p>

Sabre_Mace sat up suddenly, gasping for air. He looked around, feeling cold bars underneath him. He looked around, noting that he wasn't in an actual room now – he was in a large cage that was hanging over a massive dark pit. There were other metal cages around them, either empty or full of skeletons.

Then he saw SunRose, in the corner, still down.

"Ella!" Sabre_Mace ran over to her, tripping on the gaps between bars on the cage. He fell to his knees and rolled SunRose over onto her back. She looked dead in her face, but still had some color and a slight pulse, "Ella, don't die on me! Please, don't die!"  
>The cage began to shake slightly before stopping.<p>

Sabre_Mace turned and saw a floating being hidden behind a fine black robe with a hood. The being remained still, its white hands hanging out of the black sleeves. A strange breathing noise came from the mysterious being; it began to grow louder and louder until, finally, it began to nerve Sabre_Mace.

Sabre_Mace stood up and unsheathed his diamond sword, "And who just might you be? Are you responsible for what we just had to go through? Are you responsible for hurting her? She did nothing! I'm the one you want!"

"Silence, Isaac." The being spoke.

And so there was silence as Sabre_Mace stepped back, shocked.

"The time has come for you to prove your worth. You have sworn allegiance to your world. You have vowed to defeat Eligos. And so here you are, at the House of the Holy Sun, to retrieve The Diamond Compass. Congratulations on making it this far." The being landed on the cage floor.

"What is going on? Who are you? Where the hell are we?"

"My name is Beur," the being sat down, "I am the first Endersend ever born. And you, my friend, are at The House of the Holy Sun, the sacred holding place of the fabled Diamond Compass. Not many have gotten here and survived."

"Like SunRose, huh? Did you kill her?" Sabre_Mace turned back to SunRose and tried to wake her up again to no avail.

Beur began to move along the floor without using any of his limbs, "I did nothing to her. She merely didn't reach the House of the Holy Sun as finely as you did. I would expect nothing less from the hero with the heart of diamond, though."

"This…" Sabre_Mace looked up at the pitch blackness around their cage, "This is the House of the Holy Sun? I thought it was where we were before. You know, in Anascentia."

"My my, quite the misunderstanding. Young Isaac, The House of the Holy Sun isn't a single building you can simply walk into. It is the term for the bridge between your world and the Aether." Beur put his hand on Sabre_Mace's shoulder.

Sabre_Mace jumped up, "So then these people… and that dragon…"

"These people failed to reach the Aether. The Aether Dragon and the Eteru who follow it didn't take pity on them and left them to rot forever in those cages."

"That's horrible!" Sabre_Mace looked at Beur, who had stood up now, "Is SunRose going to turn out like that?"

"SunRose isn't dead," Beur said before reaching behind him and removing a rapier made of nether rack, "not yet, at least."

Sabre_Mace didn't waste any time. He swung his sword at the hooded creature, pushing it back and away from SunRose, "Don't you dare hurt her!"

"She is only slowing you down, Isaac!"

"She is not causing me any problems! When this is all over, we're going back to our world to live in peace. There won't be any madmen like you to cause us any problems!" Sabre_Mace began stabbing his diamond sword at Beur, who dodged every single pierce.

The two finally clashed swords, but Beur's strength was unexpected. He began to slowly force the diamond sword out of Sabre_Mace's hands all while chanting underneath his breath: "Savior, our dragon, bring forth the untimely and forgiving rebirth!"

"Don't start with that!" Sabre_Mace shouted as he was disarmed and sent against the cage wall.

"For it is time for our light to collapse into the earth!"

Beur began to approach Sabre_Mace slowly, sword in hand.

"Stay away from me, you monster!" Sabre_Mace began crying.

"Savior, our dragon, bring forth the untimely and forgiving rebirth!"

"Make it stop!" Sabre_Mace curled up and waited for the sword to kill him.

"For it is time for our light to collapse into the earth!"

"Ella!" Sabre_Mace cried loudly, his voice echoing throughout the darkness.

"Savior, our dragon, bring forth the untimely and forgiving rebirth!"

Beur raised his sword, preparing to stab and kill Sabre_Mace.

"Ella! Ella!" Sabre_Mace cried even louder, "Ella!"

"For it is time for our light to collapse into the earth!"

Sabre_Mace tensed up.

"Collapse! Collapse!"

It was all over.

"Collapse! Collapse!"  
><em><br>Where is my goddamn sword?_Sabre_Mace thought through panic.

"Collapse the light into the-"

There was a sudden pause.

Then a scream.

A _shriek._

It was loud and deafening.

Almost unheard of.

Sabre_Mace rolled onto his back and saw blood covering the cage.

In front of him was Beur being impaled by the diamond sword. Behind him was SunRose, breathing heavily. She continued to force the blade through the Endersend's back, tensing up as the sword continued to exit out of the monster's chest.

"SunRose!" Sabre_Mace couldn't believe it.

"The name is Ella, Isaac." SunRose said and forced Beur up against the cage wall. Blood began to stain the bars on the wall. Once Beur went completely limp, SunRose put her foot on his back and removed the sword. She fell backwards, the sword sliding out of her grip.

Sabre_Mace jumped up and ran to her side, "Are you gonna be alright?"

"I… I'll be…" SunRose remained still, staring up into Sabre_Mace's eyes, "I will wait. Go and get the compass. Make our future a reality. Even if I don't make it, at least you'll be happy…"

"Don't say that! We'll both be happy!" Sabre_Mace hugged SunRose.

"Ha, you don't… understand…" SunRose tried to sit up but couldn't, "I won't forget you… when we part. If you choose to stay, I wouldn't hate you. I just want you to know that there is light out there… the light from our world… that light is waiting for you… it's there for a reason…"

Sabre_Mace began crying into SunRose's shirt.

"I won't try to change… your mind, Isaac."

Sabre_Mace grabbed SunRose and picked her up, "We're both going to find that light and go home. Trust me on this one. You may think I'm unreliable or stupid or weak, but I'm more than that!".

SunRose smiled.

"I'm your protector." Sabre_Mace began walking.

"Where…" SunRose trailed off, "where are we going?"

Sabre_Mace grabbed his sword off the ground, "Where we're going is somewhere beyond your dreams. A place where peace is abundant. A place where we can live. There are worlds out there that only we know of. That's where we're going, Ella."

SunRose fell asleep.

"We're going beyond."

* * *

><p><strong>And thus concludes the second "season" of The Diamond Compass. Only around thirteen more chapters until its conclusion.<strong>

**Up to this point, I'd just like to thank those who have reviewed and given me feedback. This has helped me to continue writing and improve on certain areas. Without you guys, I would've given up long ago, so thank you.**


	29. 3 0 The Golden Age

**Here we are. The third and final part of The Diamond Compass.**

**This opener is going to pretty much conclude Roth's story arc as it deals with his internal conflicts and his understandings of who he is and why he has change so much over the course of the story. It's definitely a bit confusing and a bit of a mindf-k, but oh well. **

**I do not own Minecraft. Review if you like what you see.**

* * *

><p>As the hours slipped away, there was barely anything left to Roth's own name. His childhood had disappeared yet again and he was without anything to remember. He could only sit in his clinic bed, waiting for his next visitor, wasting away the rest of his life. Despite Sabre_Mace's efforts, Roth knew it all along – the world was doomed. There was no hope in saving it. It was dead to begin with.<p>

The door to the clinic opened and Garfunkel walked in with a book. He smiled and handed the book to Roth along with some ink, "Thought you might get bored here, Master Roth. Wouldn't want that, now would we?" He pulled up a chair and sat down beside the bed, "I can't remember for the life of me when I was in the hospital for the last time. It was long ago."

"That really helps." Roth said sarcastically. The atmosphere of the hospital was taking effect on his personality. A feeling of doom and despair had begun to run through his body once he forgot his childhood again. It might've been only him that experienced that feeling, though. After all, he _did_just remember what really happened to his family and how he watched his own father die in front of him without even knowing it be his father.

Garfunkel opened the book in Roth's hands to the first page where a signature was left, "See that? It's the signature of Master Herobrine himself. It shows that you fought alongside the great warrior once before. I'm mighty jealous of you."

"Yeah, I'm sure you are," Roth closed the book and threw it to the end of his bed, "listen, why don't you treat me like a normal person? That's all I want right now. I feel weak knowing that my life just flashed right before my eyes. All I want is to feel normal again."

"Understandable. Yes, quite," Garfunkel nodded and stood right up, stepping over to the door quickly, "I'm sorry to be a nuisance to you, Master Roth. I'll be sure to give you peace and quiet for the rest of the day. Goodbye for now." He left through the door.

Roth remained in bed, stretching and yawning now that he was alone. He remained still, under his wool covers, bored out of his mind. Maybe he made the wrong decision. Talking with someone might have been the only thing keeping him from going insane in the clinic. He sat up and looked around the room for something to keep him entertained for the rest of his stay.

It's then that he eyed the book.

He grabbed it and flipped through the blank pages. It was a journal that Garfunkel had probably brought so that Roth could write down his thoughts and feel like he was talking to someone. There could've been another reason, but that didn't matter. Roth finally had something to do. He laid back down, grabbed ink from his bedside table, and began writing.  
><em><br>This bed is uncomfortable._

"Well, that seems like enough for today." Roth said and closed the book.

A great wave of drowsiness just blasted over him. He put the ink and book on his bedside table before settling back under his covers. He felt cold yet warm underneath the covers. It was like a great sickness beginning to spread within him. He tossed and turned before drifting away into a fantasy world of his own imagination.

* * *

><p>When he awoke again, Roth found himself somewhere completely different and unfamiliar. He was standing in the middle of a field of wheat. There was a cliff nearby and somebody standing on that cliff. The day was turning into evening, giving the sun a red tint. Something felt odd about the scenario to Roth, though. He couldn't put his finger on it.<p>

He approached the person on the cliff who turned around with a smile.

"How's it going, Roth?" Sabre_Mace asked, giving the knight a hug.

Roth pushed him away and nearly fell over, "Sabre_Mace? I thought you were going to get The Diamond Compass? Come on, where are we? Why are we here? What's going on? Tell me!"

Sabre_Mace laughed, "Relax, no worries."

"I'm not worrying, I'm just curious. It's a nice place and all." Roth began to look around the field a bit more. Over the cliff was a vast sea full of squids.  
>The sun was beginning to set beyond it. This was paradise to him. The more he remained there, the more he yearned to stay there forever. His thoughts were slipping away completely.<p>

Before he could fall over happily in the fields, he noticed Sabre_Mace reach for something on his back. Roth backed up and reached for his sword, which was not there. He continued backing up, keeping his eyes on Sabre_Mace as he approached with his diamond sword. A grin was spreading across his face. It was a malicious grin. The grin of a killer.

"Listen here, Roth," Sabre_Mace said, cornering Roth to the cliff, "I have done some horrible things. I have watched many things die in front of me, both literally and figuratively. If you don't decide what you want anymore, well… let's just say I'd hate to watch you die as well."

Sabre_Mace swung his sword at Roth who sidestepped out of the way. He was quick to move away from the cliff and behind Sabre_Mace, who was  
>paying very close attention. He was a bit hunched over, looking dazed and confused while he waited to attack. It was jarring, to say the least.<p>

"Alright, Sabre_Mace," Roth started trying to make his friend cooperate with him, "let's put down the sword before someone gets hurt, alright? Sound good?"

Of course Sabre_Mace didn't listen. He ran ahead and began swinging wildly at Roth, who began running to avoid the dangerous environment. Tension continued to build up between the two despite Roth completely unsure of what he had done to set Sabre_Mace off. He just kept running until he came across another cliff, almost identical to the previous one.

The setting that he was present in began to sink into him. He began to feel differently while Sabre_Mace continued running after him barbarically. He looked over to Sabre_Mace, tensed up, and positioned his right foot behind him and his left foot in front. As his murderous enemy approached, Roth threw his arms around his waist and hauled him closer to him. The painful stab of the sword in his back wasn't enough to bring him down. Instead, he forced Sabre_Mace up and over the cliff. He stood there, the diamond sword still stuck in his back, watching as Sabre_Mace continued to fall into the mysterious sea of the beyond.

"In death there can be no love," a mysterious voice began to tell him, "in death there is only life without fulfillment."

"Fulfillment, you say?" Roth asked. He was slowly beginning to feel light headed. The feeling was nauseating and became a big nuisance to him. He fell to his knees and tried to remove the sword from his back, but only shook it enough that it began to slice up the inside of his back, "What… what fulfillment do I lack?"

The voice laughed, "That is for you to decide for yourself."

The world faded to black as Roth gave into the pain.

* * *

><p>"What fulfillment… what have I fulfilled?" Roth wondered aloud as he noticed he was now floating in a black void of nothingness, "All I've done is served Bastil, but has that led me anywhere? No, sir. I've been stuck here since day one, only capable of holding a sword and protecting those that I truly do care for. Watching as people walk away from me, worshipping a god that may or may not be there instead of the man who saved them, which is I, has always led me over the edge of insanity. A conundrum, I suppose, but what else am I to think? Am I to just let such actions continue? Should I just go on and continue living without praise for my actions? That's all I want!"<p>

He was now standing in the field of wheat again, his sword in hand.

"I just want happiness." He said.

Roth noticed right off the bat that the temperature had decreased drastically even though it was still just the same field of wheat he was standing in just before. He shivered and watched his breath form into clouds of smoke every time he breathed. There were clouds off in the far distance, but at the moment it was still sunny where he was.

He turned around and saw, standing rather close to him, Frank. He was dressed in a black robe with two guns in both hands. He had scars all over his face and looked sad for once, "My my, Roth. We meet at last. I never thought I'd see your face."

"Is that how you've always felt for me, Frank? You never seemed this affectionate for anyone but Serenade." Roth noticed Frank cocking his two guns as if he were to fire them. He began to grow the space between the two.

"You don't know me, Roth," Frank aimed one gun at Roth, who defended himself with his sword, "perhaps I'm not the selfish one as you would think. I know what everyone is like and how they act. You do not. You are the selfish one, after all, and you fail to notice it."

As soon as the first bullet was shot, Roth had made his move. He rolled and jumped at Frank, who ran out of the way of Roth's sword and cocked his guns again. He began rapidly firing bullets while running sideways. Roth knew that dodging all of these would be a pain and began to see a strategy in the midst of the action. He began running in the same direction as Frank, running a bit faster every time Frank shot another round of bullets. This way, he remained out of the line of fire.

Since he had his chance, Roth began to run forth and towards Frank, who just kept firing. He seemed to have an unlimited amount of ammo with him. This didn't matter to Roth, though, since he knew what had to be done. Once he was close enough, Roth disarmed Frank of both of his guns, also cutting off his hands in the process.

Frank fell to the ground, bleeding a ton of blood. Roth stood over him, his sword covered in blood. It hurt him badly to have to watch his friend suffer through so much pain. Then he realized what he had just thought.

Friend.

That's what Frank was. A friend, not an enemy.

Roth grabbed Frank's arm and pulled him to his feet. Blood got onto Roth's hand. He tried to wipe it away, but began ignoring it when it only smeared. He looked on as Frank gaped in shock at his bloody wrists. His pain could be seen entirely from his eyes. He was crying in awe.

"You did all of this!" Frank shouted.

"I'm sorry, Frank. It had to be done." Roth said.

Frank looked up at Roth, who backed away as soon as he saw his friend's eyes. There were no eyes anymore. It was only black with blood flowing from the sockets. He smiled and opened his mouth wide. The barrel of a gun emerged from inside and made a cocking sound. It pointed directly at Roth, who dropped his sword in fright.

As soon as the bullet was fired, the world disappeared again.

* * *

><p>"I understand now," Roth began thinking about his experiences, "that Frank is just a friend. That made no sense, though. What was I supposed to be shown? I knew he wasn't an enemy or anything. I just didn't consider him my ally. More of an anti-hero, I guess."<p>

The black void Roth was floating in slowly became lighter.

"Maybe that's what it all meant. I knew he was my friend all along. I just needed to see the true side of him. He isn't a bad guy like I thought him to be," Roth began to understand, "he's just another guy. Like me."

The light surrounded him as he noticed he was standing on the edge of the cliff. He looked behind him to see the massive field of wheat and Garfunkel, of all people, standing in it. He stood there as if he was about to start running. The old man looked over at him and waved, "Master Roth, over here!"  
>Roth walked over to Garfunkel, "What're you doing here?"<p>

"You see that over there?" Garfunkel pointed out to the sunset.

"What, the horizon?"

"Yes. I'm going there."

Roth stepped back and watched as Garfunkel stretched. He would bend over and crack his back much faster than he should have normally been able to. Once he was ready for whatever he was about to do, he stopped and looked over to Roth, who was standing there with his hands in his pockets.

"Are you coming as well?" Garfunkel asked.

"What? Where?"

"The horizon. Are you coming with me?" He asked impatiently.

What did the old man mean?

Roth hesitantly approached Garfunkel again. They stood side by side, facing the cliff and sunset. Garfunkel had the look of hope and determination on his face as he waved his arms back and forth a bit. Roth stood there silently, expecting to have to follow Garfunkel's lead.

"Are you ready?" Garfunkel asked.

Roth nodded, still unsure of what was happening.

The two began running. At first they were slow, but they picked up speed as they neared the cliff. Eventually, they reached the edge of the field and found themselves approaching the edge of the island. Roth looked at Garfunkel as he continued running. He must have not been thinking ahead.

"Garfunkel, where are we going?" Roth asked, looking ahead to the edge of the cliff and the water below.

"Beyond." Garfunkel whispered and dove off the cliff. Roth stopped just short and watched as the old man began to become one with the air. He didn't fall to his death below; he began flying smoothly around, laughing and having the best time of his life. He didn't want to stop. He even began to forget that Roth was still there, "Master Roth, let's go! Let's go beyond, Master Roth!"

"You go ahead," Roth said, taking a seat on the cliff, "I'm fine here."

"Are you sure?" Garfunkel kept flying.

"Absolutely," Roth kicked his feet in the air beside the cliff, "But Garfunkel…"

"Hm?" Garfunkel looked back before flying off.

Roth smiled, "I'll miss you."

The island fell apart below him.

* * *

><p>"Alright, alright, maybe I have been wrong all along. You can't blame me, though," Roth said to himself while floating in the black void, "it's all just been a game, sort of. I've been stuck on this path to uselessness. Garfunkel helped me, and I already realized that. I already realize all the friends that I have. I don't know what I'm being shown anymore."<p>

Below him another island began to form. It had no wheat. It was just straight grassy plains with flowers planted everywhere. As he looked down upon the field in wonder, he noticed he was falling. He was falling really fast, too. To the point where impact would kill him instantly.

It didn't, though.

He fell to the ground and noticed it felt like a soft blanket made of wool. He remained still on his stomach, becoming acquainted to the cozy feeling. He smiled and sighed, closing his eyes to go to sleep. All those things he had endured only led him here – to another paradise. It mattered not where he was. It only mattered whether he made that place his own paradise or not.

As he was slowly drifting off to sleep, he felt something hard fall onto his back. He jumped in surprise and rolled over to see SunRose sitting beside him, laughing uncontrollably. She was dressed in a white dress with her hair braided and wet, "I've been looking everywhere for you, Roth! Come on, let's go pick flowers!"

"Flowers?" Roth shook his head, "I'd rather not. I'll just go back to sleep."

"But all weddings need flowers!"

Roth sat back up instantly, "Weddings?"

"Yeah, your wedding, remember?" SunRose pulled Roth to his feet, "Come on, there are plenty of flowers everywhere. Let's hurry so you aren't late!"

The two of them began running through the fields of grass, grabbing whatever flowers they passed. It wasn't until he became separated from SunRose that Roth noticed he was wearing a black tuxedo. He adjusted it without even considering that he was wearing it for a wedding he never knew about.  
>He continued to straighten it until SunRose appeared again from behind him.<p>

"Come on! We have enough flowers! Let's go!"

The moment of reveal was upon him.

Roth followed SunRose across the fields to a small stage with nothing else around it. He was pushed on there by SunRose who disappeared into the air right after. While he stood there, holding the flowers in his sweaty palms, he looked around to see if there was even an audience there to witness the ceremony. Not a single person showed up.

The sound of footsteps caught his attention and made him look across the stage to Serenade, who had stepped onto stage. She was wearing the same white dress that SunRose was wearing. She looked stunning and carried her own collection of flowers in her hands, "Shall we?"

What was Roth to say? He couldn't simply deny marrying Serenade. While it would make him happy, it wasn't what he wanted. He realized this as he stood, facing her. He dropped the flowers, ran forward, and kissed her right on the lips. She nearly fell over, red in the face, when Roth stepped back.

"My my, what a man." She smiled.

"Now go away." Roth said.

Serenade raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me!" Roth shouted, "Go away! Get outta here!"

"Roth, I'm your fiancée! Don't do this to me!" She was beginning to cry.

Roth reached behind him out of instinct and felt the handle of his sword sticking out from his back. He grabbed it and pulled on it without feeling pain.  
>He ran forward and impaled Serenade in the stomach with the blade. He smiled as he watched her fall over lifelessly.<p>

Her body suddenly disappeared, leaving only a white dress.

Then there was the sound of thunder in the distance.

And then nothing.

* * *

><p>Roth sat up instantly in his hospital bed, drowning in sweat. He looked around cautiously, wincing at the light of the bedside lamp. He turned it off and began to calm himself down. He rejoiced a bit in the dark before standing up and exiting from his room. He wandered down to the main office of the clinic where a doctor and Garfunkel sat, talking to each other.<p>

The doctor looked over, "Oh, he's awake."

"Are you feeling okay, Master Roth?" Garfunkel asked.

"Okay?" Roth said aloud, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Garfunkel sighed and walked over to give Roth a hug, "I'm sorry I had annoyed you back then. I know you don't always appreciate the company. I know you are still only getting over your past, but I wanted you to know that there are people here to help you."

Roth stood still, feeling Garfunkel's warm embrace make him feel something. It was an odd feeling of sincerity; of beauty; of happiness. He stood there, his mind foggy and sight blurred. He felt safe.

"I always knew that, Garfunkel," Roth embraced back, "I never forgot that you guys were there. Even if I don't remember my past, I know that there will be more history to make in the future."

"That's my boy." Garfunkel chuckled.

"Right," Roth thought hard about those words, "your boy."


	30. 3 1 The Founding of Peace

A nearby cave, before unseen, was now the destination of Frank, Serenade, Art, and Donald. Of course, in the midst of a war in a small city like Nocturne, it would _probably_ be difficult to notice, but whatever. After Missy had pointed it out to them, they immediately knew what had to be done. They left the home of the philosopher and snuck over to an opening in the nearby mountains. It was a gaping entrance with pitch blackness all inside. Frank took the lead of the group, holding onto Serenade's hand with great security. Art and Donald remained in the back, watching for any Crusaders that might possibly decide to interfere.

"So this being that Missy spoke of," Frank began, holding the Obsidian Magma Blade in his left hand, "this Endersend."

"Amon, she calls him." Serenade said.

Art and Donald paid little attention to the conversation. Instead, they walked backwards, becoming more anxious as the light of the outside diminished the further down they went. Soon they were consumed by darkness until Frank placed a torch on the wall. While it wasn't too bright and not much could be seen still, it was good enough for Frank.

Serenade, however, wasn't faring too well. The darkness of her surroundings reminded her too drastically of The Bedrock Temple... And Tripwire and... Well, all of that. She inched closer to Frank, feeling more alone than ever, despite how wrong she was.

As the quartet continued down into the tunnel, Art and Donald made their way to the front. They carried swords and guns and such, "How far down did Missy say Amon was?" Art asked, looking around with care. Any mob that had decided to approach would have to meet his blade. That had been his work ethic for quite some time. He always felt the need to be in control of situations and such.

"She didn't say," Frank said, growing rather tired from the constant action, "all she told us was that he would be somewhere in these mountains. It doesn't _matter_ where he is. We need to keep going until we find him. Then this war can be settled and Serenade and I can leave."

"Why don't you just leave now?" Donald asked, "Nothing's stopping you."

Frank stopped, letting go of Serenade's hand. She stood there, arms crossed, growing nervous from the lack of light. Frank continued to stand still, thinking hard about the situation he was in. These two soldiers had just given him the thought of leaving. However...

"I can't." Frank replied confidently.

"Why not? Again, nothing's stopping you." Donald repeated.

More thoughts ran through Frank's head. The idea of escaping from the warfare that had been surrounding him all day with Serenade was tempting. Just the thought of being alone with Serenade was tempting. Not in weird sexual way, but in a more romantic, serene way. He wanted only to live in peace with the one he loved. He grabbed her hand and continued marching on down the tunnel, deciding against answering Donald.

"Just gonna ignore me, eh?" Donald said, noticing Art following Frank down the tunnel, "Fine, whatever. Nobody listens anyway."

The group continued through the tunnel before coming across a bridge that stretched over a dark pit. A platform with a door on the far side of the room was evident from where the heroes stood. For a brief moment Frank let go of Serenade and approached the bridge. He placed his right foot on the structure and rocked it slightly, "It seems sturdy enough to carry all of us. It may be safe to go one at a time, though. Does that sound fine?"

Everyone else nodded and began to cross the bridge, becoming fearful of looking down. What if the bridge were to collapse? The bridge, despite seeming sturdy enough, appeared to be worn down and ancient. If an Endersend lived here, then it would make sense that those who wished to meet him would have to cross a weak bridge that could possibly end their lives.

But enough of that since they all ended up surviving. As Serenade reached the other side of the bridge, she grabbed Frank's hand and looked back at Art and Donald as they crossed. Once Art reached the platform and looked back to see Donald meeting the midpoint, a loud rumble erupted over them. The bridge began to violently shake with Donald grabbing onto the side rope.

"What the hell was that?" Donald cried.

Frank looked around, but found nothing to be out of place, "Nothing. Just hurry up and get over here."

Donald nodded and carefully continued to cross the bridge.

Another quake began to toss him around on the bridge. He fell to his knees and began to curl up into a ball.

This time Frank could see a cloud of dust form over the bridge. Another quake began and pieces of the mountain above them began to fall down, barely missing the bridge and Donald.

"Donald, hurry up!" Art shouted angrily.

Donald got back to his feet and began to run anxiously across the bridge. Behind him, dark figures began to stand up and follow him, their purple eyes glowing through the dirt, dust, and darkness. Once Donald grabbed a hold of Art's hand at the end of the bridge, the group ran through the doorway in front of them. Frank brought up the end, looking at the figures behind them cautiously. He gripped the Obsidian Magma Blade with his shaking arm and began running after the others.

The tunnel began to go upwards at this point. There was less light as torches on the wall were far and few. Donald led the group, running ahead with his pants bouncing off the walls. Art followed behind him, being sure to keep an eye on Serenade behind him. Serenade felt scared, but safe with Frank, who was staying distant from the group. The embers on the Obsidian Magma Blade lit up parts of the area around him. He kept his eyes behind him, looking for those purple eyes again.

The group finally found flat ground at the top of the tunnel. The room they had just entered was completely dark, but they felt their feet step onto solid ground rather than rugged dirt. Frank reached them a few seconds later, keeping his sword in front of him in case the beings had decided to follow them.

"What were those things?" Art asked.

"Those were Endermen." A booming voice said from across the room.

Lights shone from the ceiling in that instant. The group looked around and found themselves surrounded by walls of gold. Glowstones were placed in the ceiling, giving off a great radiance. Across the room was a massive throne made of various resources and wool. In that throne was a giant with the body of a human, but the head of a raven. The monstrous being sat calmly in his throne as Endermen lined the walls around the room.

The group stepped further into the room, with Frank taking the lead, "Are you Amon?"

"If it is I that you are searching for, perhaps you should turn back now." The being said.

Just as he spoke, the Endermen that attacked the bridge approached the room from the tunnel, blocking the only exit from the room. The group looked around and relished in the fact that they were surrounded.

"Ah, that is right. I almost forgot that it was you users that forced us Endermen into hiding initially," Amon stood from his throne, his chest bare and muscular, "if it was not for the ignorance of you users, perhaps us Endermen wouldn't be considered the ultimate monsters of this dying world."

"How have we been ignorant?" Frank asked.

The Endermen around the room slowly marched forward to the group while Amon continued to speak, "That is only something a person of true ignorance would question! Us Endermen have been spoken of as the devils and demons of Anascentia when it was the horrid actions of the users that caused our creation. The users and Endermen are no different - we are both monsters at this point."

"Frank, do something!" Serenade cried as the Endermen continued to close in on them. Soon they were forced to their knees as the Endermen began to impale them with their arms. The four heroes could begin to feel their life being drained away. Things began to go dark as the glowstone in the room dimmed.

Just as their lives were coming to a horrific close, Amon spoke, "Hold your offense."

The Endermen stopped their attacks and backed off, allowing the group to breath again. Frank was the only one of the four to return to his feet.

"Is that Astaroth's Blade?" Amon asked.

Frank grabbed the Obsidian Magma Blade and held it out in front of him, "So what if it is?"

"That means..." Amon trailed off into thought, "You have killed Tripwire?"

Slowly, the other three returned to their feet. Serenade could barely stand and was propped up on Donald's shoulder. Frank looked to Serenade and sighed, "Yes, we did. That man deserved to die for nearly killing Serenade."

Amon nodded, "Indeed, Tripwire was a fiend. He had crafted Astaroth's Blade from the remains of another Endersend name Astaroth, who happened to be a good friend of mine."

"That's terrible." Frank said.

"Could I, perhaps, have the sword?" Amon asked.

Serenade began to step forward with the help of Donald, "I'm... afraid not. We need that... for a friend."

"But it should rightfully belong to me." Amon became impatient.

"You don't understand, Amon," Frank began, "the world is in great danger because of a man named Obsidian666. We need this sword in order to prevent anything horrible from occurring. This sword must go back with us to Imperial City. If we were to leave the sword with you, then our mission would be a failure, and the world would be completely destroyed."

Amon stood up and stepped down from his throne to Frank, "Obsidian666, you say?"

Frank nodded.

"Damn that Eligos," Amon spoke under his breath, "how can I help you then? Why is it that you came to me in this dire time?"

"Our city, sir," Art spoke up, "it is in danger from a war for belief. We have heard tell that you are capable of bringing such meaningless feuds to an end. We would be eternally grateful if you could help us!"

Amon nodded, "Is this your town as well?" He looked to Frank.

"No, sir. I was just passing through. They helped me, so I decided to return the favor."

"You've a kind heart," Amon nodded and looked up to the ceiling, "let us put this war to an end, then!"

The Endersend began to caw and roar. The golden ceiling slowly began to crumble before the blue sky appeared beyond it. The sun shone brightly as Amon lifted the four heroes into the air on his back. He began to dive down the slopes of the mountain to the town below. Art and Donald looked intently at the horrific battle that was occurring below them. Art then turned to Frank and Serenade, "Get out of here now."

"What about Nocturne?" Frank asked.

"That's our battle. Your battle lies elsewhere. We can handle this from now on. Get going and go save our world," Art ordered.

Frank looked to Serenade, who nodded in agreement.

"Thank you," Frank said and grabbed onto Serenade, "Thank you for everything."

"No, thank you." Art and Donald said.

With that, Frank and Serenade dove off Amon and to the mountainside below them.


End file.
